


I'm a What?

by DragonDreads (cjbage)



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama & Romance, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Sex, Mature Situations, Non-Graphic Violence, Original Character(s), Out of Character, Romance, Sexual Content, Shrios, Slow Build, Sometimes Dominate Thane, Xenophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-25
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-04-06 01:01:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 67,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4201932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjbage/pseuds/DragonDreads
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard goes to Illium to follow up on Thane's dossier. He ends up with more than just a new contract.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AU.  
> Thane did not marry Irikah, Kolyat doesn't exist in this story.  
> Keprals has been cured years before this version of the ME2/ME3 storyline. Thane is a bit more dominate in this story then my other ones that have him in it. But he won't always be that way.
> 
> Updates will not be regular. I am writing this off the top of my head so I have no idea where or for how long it will go. Hope someone enjoys this story. Comments, constructive criticism and kudo's are most welcome and appreciated. 
> 
> Just a reminder, I don't use a beta or proofreader. Any mistakes in spelling, grammar and/or punctuation are my own.
> 
> *~*  
>  **Standard Disclaimer** : Bioware owns all of the Mass Effect Universe, including but not limited to the  
> recognizable characters. Any original characters are my own. There is no monetary gain from this work. All I  
> am doing is playing around with their universe.  
> **~**  
> Please do not use my original characters in a different story unless permission is asked for and received.  
> Do not post this story in a different archive, forum, or mailing list. I post only on Archive of Our Own.  
> If you like it please post a link to this page instead. Thank you.  
> **~**  
> If you are reading this as a guest why not join the site? It's free and will let you subscribe to all your  
> favorite stories so you never miss a chapter.

* * *

 

 

Shepard sat in her chair in the loft and stared at the name on the latest dossier.  
  
Thane Krios, Drell, age 39. Reputed to be the most accomplished assassin in the Galaxy.  
  
She let out a breath,  _it's not him,  it can't be. Just a different drell with the same name and occupation. Nothing more. Not now._  
  
"Joker set course for Illium." Her voice faintly cracking, as she tossed the datapad back on the desk.

"Aye Aye, Commander."  
  
Her mind drifted back a little over 10 years ago, the dare of her friends,  the crazy Salarian doctor that assured her that the treatment she was undergoing would have no side effects. The green drell with the soulful eyes of obsidian and the voice that could send shivers down her spine.

* * *

  
  
They approached the top floor of the tower after fighting through waves of mechs and hired Eclipse mercs. Finding the odd rooms with Salarian workers that were locked in for their own protection. Shepard hesitated outside the door, her companions shifted, the turian in the damaged blue armor looking at her with curiosity. The human thief in the black and grey catsuit, rocking back and forth on her heels waiting to find out what was going to happen when Shepard opened the door.  
  
They had both noticed how oddly quiet Shepard had been,  the Turian, Garrus Vakarian, more so than the other human who was new to their crew. "Shepard,  we going in or just waiting here in case the assassin comes walking out the door?"  
  
Shepard opaqued out the visor on her full helmet and reached for the entry pad, her pistol held loosely in her right hand. "We're going in Garrus. Be ready." She took a shaky breath and they followed her inside.  
  
"Shepard? I heard you were dead." The asari standing in front of her,  the one responsible for so many deaths,  gasped out. Her voice at first shaking then becoming condescending as was the usual mode of their species when speaking to another. All except when they were trying to weasel favors from someone. Shepard finally remembered who Nassana Dantius was.  
  
"I got better." Shepard deadpanned. Her eyes were darting around the room for possible avenues for the assassin to get in, finally settling on the ventilation grate that she noticed right above the area where Nassana was standing.  
  
Nassana sure did like to talk, in a way it was a good thing,  her blabbering like that concealed any unintentional noise from being heard.  
  
"What is it you want,  credits? Just name your price." Nassana said,  pacing slightly. Shepard let out at snort, "not everyone is like you, Nassana.  I could care less about credits from you. As a matter of fact,  you don't have enough to make this ... problem go away." A slight noise was heard from the grate, a shifting. Purposefully made loud enough for the guards right below to hear it and distract Nassana.  
  
"What!? " Nassana was now irritated,  her bribe had been turned down,  her mercs all but decimated as was her building. She wasn't sure the couple of mercs that she had in the room would be able to get the drop on Shepard and kill her, before Shepard and her thugs would kill her. "Go check the other door." One of the mercs left.  If it came down to it,  she could run for that other exit while Shepard was busy dodging bullets.  
  
Nassana turned back to Shepard and started to tell her to not move when a noise from behind her had her whirling around, her guards were down and the black-eyed drell had a gun shoved in her abdomen, "who ...",  it was all she got out before he pulled the trigger.  
  
Shepard and her team watched the drell lower the body of the asari to the desk and cross her arms placing them on her body before bowing his head.  
  
_Well shit,  it is him,  there isn't another drell in this damn galaxy that has that habit of praying after he kills someone._ Shepard sighed and waited. Garrus nudged her. Kasumi looked around the office,  probably for small things to swipe. Finally, the drell stirred and looked up. Shepard took a few steps forward, she gritted her teeth,  reminded herself this was for the mission. "Thane Krios? We have been looking for you."  
  
She saw him tip his head to the side, before slowly starting to move around the desk, "my apologies but prayers for the wicked cannot be forsaken." He heard Shepard let out a humming sound and stopped. Once again tipping his head and staring at her. "So you said you were looking for me? Well ... here I am."

Shepard curled her hands into fists, "I need you for a mission,  one of great importance. Have you heard of the Collectors?" He nodded to her, taking a step toward her, she held her ground for about two seconds before moving away from him to lean against the desk. "They are attacking human colonies,  leaving no one behind, we don't know why they are doing this. But I am going to find out and stop them."  
  
He paused, still looking at her,  then straightened. "Taking on the Collectors will require going through the Omega 4 relay. No one has done that and returned. Then again, Commander Shepard,  you have gone to Ilos and back,  defeated Saren and Sovereign on the Citadel ... among other things. It was my understanding that you had... returned to the sea,  two years ago. How is it you are standing in the same room with me now? Where have you been all this time?"  
  
She had enough.Ripping off her gauntlets then popping the seals of her helmet,  she turned to him. "Don't you even start with me, Thane. I fucking died when the Collector's hit the Normandy. That was over 2 years ago,  where the fuck did you disappear to 10 years ago. I wake up,  find you gone and only a damn rose on the pillow. No note,  no calls. Nothing." She advanced on him,  starting to poke him in the chest with her finger. "Do you have any idea how long I tried to find you?" He continued to stare at her as she shoved him. "Do you have any idea the problems you caused when you up and disappeared?"  
  
Garrus looked between the two of them then at Kasumi,  she shook her head then started to pocket some of the more expensive looking bric-a-brac in the room.  
  
"Uh... Commander,  this may not be the best place to have this conversation,  we are standing in a tower that looks like a war zone." Garrus called out,  his mandibles flicking as he continued to look between the odd pair in front of him.  
  
"You're right, Garrus. Let's go. I should never have come here. We don't need him. Just like we didn't need him when we took on Saren and Sovereign." Shepard grabbed her helmet and gauntlets off the floor and started to stride towards the door.  
  
"Siha,  wait. I am coming with you.  I will explain my absence. It is not what you are thinking." Thane's dual-toned voice came from almost directly behind her. She stopped, her thoughts whirling like tornadoes through her mind. That God damned voice of his still had the ability to do funny things to her stomach,  not to mention other parts of her anatomy.  
  
"So, Shep. I take it you two know each other? Can always use another person on the team,  at least you know this one." Kasumi said to her from in front of the bookshelf where she had just picked up some type of box, making it magically disappear somehow in a skin-tight catsuit.  
  
"Yes,  you can say that Kasumi. The bastard is my husband,  but I never really knew him at all." Shepard said right before she walked out the penthouse doors.

* * *

  
  
When they arrived at the Normandy she found Jacob waiting for her in the conference room. He started spouting nonsense about how he was more loyal than his next paycheck,  how he didn't like assassins,  that they were only more precise mercenaries. Shepard's stress level was already high enough and she lost her temper.  
  
She stared at Jacob, her eyes cold and hard." What the fuck do you think you are? You are nothing more than a gun for hire. You quit the Corsairs,  you quit the Alliance and you went to work for a known terrorist organization that pays your salary. You did nothing for free, you were paid and still are paid from that same organization, the one you said did a lot of things that made you nervous. If a better offer came along from an organization without that shady history you would jump at it. Get the hell out of my conference room and stay out unless you are expressly told to come here." Jacob looked at her then stormed out.  
  
"Where shall I put my things?" Thane asked after the other human had left. "I still prefer more arid conditions." EDI popped up and told him the Life Support room was the aridest room on the ship. "An AI?" He looked toward Shepard,  she still had yet to even raise her eyes to him. "My thanks."  
  
"Jane, " his voice was low and calm as it always was, " we need to speak about things. There is much you do not know.  I would tell you this if you would but give me a chance."  
  
"Not ... not now Thane. I have one more recruitment to do here,  and I need time. You being here ... is not easy for me. " Shepard brushed past him and headed for the elevator.

* * *

  
  
Thane sat at the table in the small,  sparse room assigned to him. He stared out the small window at the glow of the drive core. Jane, his wife, was alive.  All this time of wondering, waiting,  grieving. And she walks into the room as if those past years hadn't happened at all. She looked older, her body from what he could see, was scarred,  in some places badly so. It also had an orangish glow under her skin, something she never had before.  
  
Her skin was still the pale cream that he clearly remembered.  He sat wondering if the non-scarred areas were as smooth and soft as it had been. If her eyes still glazed over as her body reached its peak.  
  
Were those eyes looking into others now as it happened? Had that responsive body of hers accommodated others in his absence? Have there been others that felt those hands upon their bodies,  heard her gasps and moans? Felt that wet, heat surrounding them as they moved in her tight body? Her lips sliding along their bodies,  feeling them close over their ... Thane's tightly fisted hand banged on the metal table leaving a small dent.  The cup that he had appropriated from the mess hall toppled over,  the remnants of his herbal tea spilling out.  
  
"Sere Krios, I have been asked to inform you that Dr. Chakwas is ready to see you now in the Medical Bay. All personnel must submit to a physical exam and cleared for duty before being assigned as crew." EDI's voice came across the comm,  then told him where to find the med bay.  
  
"Of course. I shall be right there."

* * *

  
  
"Alright, Sere Krios,  please remove your coat and vest. Then hop up on the table. I will start the scanners. Then after they are done will need to draw blood to check for any abnormalities. I have already placed an order for a supply of synthetic drell blood. Since you will be on Shepard's ground crew, you'll need it." Dr. Chakwas rattled off the information as she gathered up the supplies and got ready for the physical.  
  
When she turned back around Thane was on the table waiting,  his hands gripping the sides of the table was the only outward sign that he was uncomfortable. "This won't take long." She activated the scanner then wheeled her cart over. Glancing down she noticed the barely visible scar that bisected his body. When the scanner was finished she looked at the results. "Hmm,  now I see. You were one of the first to receive the treatment for Keprals?"  
  
"Yes,  many years ago. I was also one of the few to survive the first trials." He watched as she moved the screens around,  focused on his lungs. It was so strange to see them,  undamaged,  whole even after all this time. She frowned down at him, "the first trials? When they were combining Drell DNA with others to try and find a way to clone your organs?" He nodded. "Do you know what species DNA they used? Having that information will save me quite a bit of time during the testing."  
  
"Human." Thane shifted on the metal table as Dr. Chakwas begun to withdraw blood. "Well, that will help significantly." She finished the exam and he was just putting on his coat when the pilot called out an emergency comm was coming in.  
  
"Dr. Chakwas, this is Miranda. We are coming in with Commander Shepard. She inhaled a toxic substance called Minagen -X3. We have a sample of it, according to the data we got from the smuggler it is supposed to enhance biotics,  only it's fatal in large doses. She was in the middle of 3 exploding canisters."  
  
Dr. Chakwas turned to Thane as he drew in a shaky breath, his coat was still hanging open over his vest and he seemed to be frozen in place. "Bring her straight to med bay."  
  
Chakwas moved Thane out of the way as he started to blink,  seemed to come out of whatever place he had gone too. Quickly setting the machine to decon the table that Thane had just vacated,  she brought up the vitals and scans from the onboard VI in Shepard's suit. Gathering items from different containers or drawers. "Sere Krios, you should leave. I can't work with you in here. It is against policy for a non-family member to be present unless they are medical personnel." The lights flashed,  Joker's way of letting them know Shepard was on board and heading up to her.  
  
Grunt came running through the door carrying Shepard,  followed closely by Miranda. The krogan put her on the table then walked back out. Miranda started to ramble off the details,  loading the sample into a machine for analysis then noticed the drell still in the room. "What is he doing in here. You need to leave,  now."  
  
"No. I shall not leave." Thane said from where he was standing, with a full view of what was happening on the bed but not in their way. Miranda came over and grabbed his arm to pull him out of the room. She found herself on her knees less than two seconds later,  a grimace of pain on her face. "You shall never touch me again. Should you do so it will be the last thing you ever do." Miranda flared her biotics,  Thane answered with a flare of his own, along with pressure on the female's wrist until they heard the snap in the room and her cry of pain. "That is your only warning,  the next time it shall not be your wrist that snaps."  
  
"Both of you out,  I don't have time to play nursemaid. Miranda, when I am done trying to save Commander Shepard's life, I will knit your wrist back together. Sere Krios, I told you to leave once already. Do not make me repeat myself."  
  
"I shall not be going anywhere. You informed me that family is allowed here. Commander Shepard is my wife. I will be staying." Thane stood straighter and adjusted his coat,  finally closing it completely.  
  
"Impossible. You're lying. I spent two years learning all I could about Commander Shepard. She is not married,  let alone married to an assassin,  an alien one at that." Miranda hissed out.  
  
Thane looked at her,  his unblinking obsidian eyes staring right through her. "Your Illusive Man does not know everything. No matter what he may presume to tell his ... toadies, as Jane would call you."

Dr. Chakwas laughed at that, "oh you definitely know the Commander at least."  
  
"Yes,  and now that we are together again, I will not be leaving her side."

* * *

  
  
Shepard let out a groan,  feeling as if every bone and joint in her body was on fire. She slowly opened her eyes as she felt a cool cloth brush down her face, "I have been worried, Siha. You have been unconscious for three hours now."  
  
"Mmm,  I feel like shit. I need a rundown of what happened,  where is Miranda?" She struggled to sit up, Thane gently put his arm around her and lifted her, after pushing the button to summon the doctor.

"I believe she is resting in her quarters." He stepped away from the bed as the Doctor came in to check on her.  
  
"Your scans are completely clear of the toxin. I'll give you a slight pain reliever,  then you can dress and leave."  
  
"Thanks, doc." Shepard let out a hiss then a sigh as the pain reliever was injected. "I need to go see Miranda, " she looked at the neat pile of clothes laid out for her and then at Thane. "Who brought down my clothing from my locked Captain's quarters?" She frowned as Thane cocked his eyebrow. "Thane,  when I get back, you and I will have to have a talk about invading personal space."  
  
"I agree,  Jane. We do need to talk. There are many things upon which I would ask, and much more that I need to say to you. As far as the room,  I am your husband, I will not be locked out."  
  
Shepard grimaced then walked from the medical bay and headed across the mess hall to Miranda's room.  
  
Thane went to the Life support room, gathered his belongings and started taking them up to the loft. He had made sure to thoroughly check for any males clothing or clothing belonging to a different female when he retrieved those clothes. Nothing other than her personal items was there.  She was using the same spiced vanilla scented shampoo and soap as before, the same type of toothbrush and tooth powders. He did notice the pile of barely used items in the trash receptacle. Lavender scented items,  he knew she hated that scent,  but he supposed it was just another thing that the so-called perfect Ms. Miranda Lawson did not know. He gave a small smile at the thought of the first thing his Jane had done was went on a shopping spree for her favorites then throwing the Cerberus ones in the trash.  
  
He did, however, have an issue with the security of her terminal. He had an idea that the AI that had asked if he needed something while he was trying to hack it,  had something to do with his app malfunctioning. He needed to see her correspondence,  he needed to see if she was involved with someone, not on the ship. One of her desk drawers was locked,  but it didn't stand a chance against him, it only contained a few small items and an omni tool chip with a Cerberus logo on it. The drawer in her nightstand revealed a cache of sexual stimulation aids. She wouldn't be needing to depend on those anymore, he would be more than willing to bring her pleasure when she desired it.  
  
He had just sat down on the one couch after putting his belongings in one of the drawers and in the small storage area that he supposed could be referred to as a closet,  when he heard her talking to someone. From where he was sitting he doubted she had seen him as she entered the room. The blue glow from her ear let him know that he wouldn't be able to hear the full conversation which caused him to frown.  
  
"No, Aaron,  I'm not sure when I will be back to the Citadel. Which restaurant was that one again? I guess we can go there,  but promise me you won't order the same thing you did last time,  it did not agree with you. The last thing I want to do is spend another shore leave with you ill and not able to have fun together. Uh huh,  where have I heard that before ... oh right. From you." Thane could tell she was smiling even though her words would seem to mock whoever she was speaking to.  
  
Shepard went to the giant fish tank and hit the feeding button watching the fish dart around. "You want a what? Hmm, I suppose so. But on one condition,  it stays out of the bedroom. Fix a place for it either in the living room or game room. Then make a list of everything you'll need,  we'll set it up for when I get back. I have to get going now though, I have to pick someone up that's joining the team. Then a few more things I need to do. I'll give you a call when I know that I'm on the way there. I love you too. Bye."  
  
Thane waited until she had come down the stairs before getting up from the couch,  barely a whisper of sound was heard as he came up behind her. One arm quickly pinned hers to her sides while the other wrapped around her upper chest,  his hand on her throat. Not cutting off her air,  but his grip tight enough that she knew he was upset. "Who is this Aaron? Does he know you are married,  that you could never be his? You will no longer be unfaithful,  I will not allow it."  
  
"Aaron is none of your business. You have been gone for 10 years,  you have no right to tell me who I can see or what I can do. You abandoned me and have been doing God knows what with others. You have no rights where I am concerned." She hissed at him as he squeezed her throat,  just a bit harder before easing his grip.

"You are wrong, Siha. You are mine,  you have always been mine. Now that I have found you again, no one will come between us."  
  
She struggled against him, "I won't. He has been there since right after you left me. He means more to me than you can even imagine. Leave him alone, leave us both alone. Get the hell off my ship before we leave the dock." She struggled harder against him trying to break his grip on her,  even though she knew it would be of no use.  
  
"Mmm,  no I think not,  Jane." His hand moved from her throat down her body, brushing against her breast,  before taking the globe in his palm. "You are mine and only mine. My memories of your delectable body haunted me over the years," he felt her nipple peaking and started to run his tongue up the side of her neck. Hearing her indrawn breath. "The feel of your skin against me, the way it would have these same small bumps raise up on your skin as I ran my tongue across you. The way you would gasp and moan. That searing tightness of you as I thrust hard and deep inside." He pinched her hard nipple,  then rolled it between his index finger and thumb. "Your groans and demands to move harder,  those screams of my name when your body reached its orgasm. Those smooth muscles of yours contracting around me, pulling me deep inside. Your breathy sighs as you felt me empty inside of you."  His hand drifted lower, his fused fingers running lightly over the seam between her legs, feeling the slight dampness and heat there. "Your body knows to whom it belongs. You're becoming moist and so hot."  
  
"Stop it. Thane, please stop." Her voice and body were both shaking,  she couldn't give in to him. Not after all this time. "You left me. Not the other way around. You have been living your life. The life you had chosen. The one that didn't include me. You can not simply come back and assume that I would just drop everything and pretend like those years hadn't happened."  
  
His hand stilled from where he had been lightly teasing her. "You belong to me. I will not share you. You are my wife. Do you understand? Should you disobey me,  it will be your lover that will be punished. Do you understand?" When she didn't say anything,  he pressed his fingers in tightly to her center and rubbed. "Do you understand? Say it."  
  
She kept her mouth closed, willing to bite off her tongue rather than to say those words to him. He gave a low growl and tightened his arm again. "So be it,  I will make you say it.  I will make you forget everyone elses touch upon your body. Then you will tell me who this Aaron is and I will remove him from your life. There will be no others." His hand moved to the clasps of her pants, ripping at them. His mouth closing on her neck and biting down into the sensitive area where it joined with her shoulder.  
  
"Stop, stop. Alright. I understand. I won't have a lover." She felt tears falling from her eyes,  she heard him let out a light sigh as he eased his hold on her. He kissed her neck where his bite mark was,  he didn't break the skin but the bruise there would last for quite a while. Everyone on board will know she was his.  
  
"Commander Shepard, Garrus and Mordin are waiting for you at the airlock. They wanted to remind you that time is running short on getting that information to the Justicar before she goes on a killing spree,  as Garrus termed it." EDI's small icon popped up near the door and her voice broke the silence of the room.  
  
"I'll be right there, EDI. Thank you." She waited until the icon disappeared then quietly said, "I have to go to work."  
  
Thane hummed and kissed her neck gently, eased his arms from around her before turning her to face him. "Siha. I know you may not believe me,  but I did not abandon you." He very gently brushed the tear stains from her face, "I do not know what happened. But when there is time,  sit with me and talk. I will listen to what you have to say as long as you do the same for me." He leaned in to kiss her and she turned her head away from him. He sighed and stepped back. She turned and hurriedly grabbed her armor and practically ran to the bathroom to change.  
  
_How can he do this to me? Why can he still make my body respond to him?_ She looked into the mirror,  her reflection showing eyes that seemed too big for her face, her complexion pale where the skin had begun to heal. Those awful orange tears where the cybernetics showed, were glowing in large cracks on her face still. She closed her eyes and grit her teeth, her hands clenching on the metal of the sink.  
  
_I won't let him anywhere near Aaron,  not now,  not ever._


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

 

 

Shepard handed all of the intel that was gathered along the way to the Detective handling the murder of a volus along with his and his partner's smuggling activities. Samara joined her,  swearing a Justicar's oath to follow her,  after giving her the information that Miranda found on a datapad on the desk of the Eclipse Sister Captain just seconds before Shepard had collapsed.  
  
When they were back on board and had Samara settled in one of the observation lounges,  Shepard went into the Main Battery looking for Garrus.  
  
"Shepard, did you need me for something?" He asked as he turned and saw her enter the battery nervously.

"Yeah,  yes I do, Garrus." She wiped her hands on her pants before she cleared her throat and sat on the crate that was her usual seat when she came to talk to him.  
  
"EDI,  where is Thane?"  
  
"Thane is currently standing in the Mess Hall,  looking toward the Main Battery's door."  Shepard gave a bit of a startled jerk, "thanks, EDI. Please inform me if he comes up the stairs toward the door."  
  
"What the hell is going on, Shepard?" Garrus asked as he leaned against the railing.

"Look Garrus,  I don't have a lot of time here so I need to do this fast. I'm going to head to go get Tali. When we get Tali and get back to the Citadel, I need for the two of you to head for my apartment. I want that security system upgraded, pull out all the stops. I want the top of the line,  everything."  
  
"This is about Krios?" He came over and sat on a crate next to her.

"Yes,  I need to make sure that Aaron will be safe. He is my life. You and Tali are the only ones I can trust with this." Garrus looked at her for a minute,  his mandibles flicking and his nose plates wiggled.

"Alright, I'll get an order going so it's ready when we get there. But Shepard,  you know his reputation better then I do. No matter how good the security is, he will probably be able to bypass it somehow."  
  
"I know, Garrus. But at least it will give me a chance to get to him before he can get to Aaron." She got up and so did he, he placed a taloned hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze before going to his terminal.

* * *

  
  
She walked out of the Main Battery's door and headed for the elevator. She was closely followed by Thane. "You went to see the turian before coming to see me? Why?"  
  
"Business,  we are heading to pick up another member of the squad. Probably hip-deep in trouble with synthetics.  He has helped me deal with the Geth before and I wanted him ready." She walked up to the galaxy map and entered in the coordinates for Haestrom.  
  
"Zaeed and Garrus,  prepare for synthetics. When we reach Haestrom's orbit meet me in the shuttle bay. Garrus make sure you grab that suit repair kit from the armory." Shepard called out over their private comms as she turned to make her way to Mordin's lab. She started making a list of what supplies they needed to get the upgrades to the Normandy. Then made a separate list for the armor and weapons of each person. She prioritized the ships weapon system and armoring,  then set the upgrades for the biotics and medical parts of their armors to be fabricated. She tried not to pay attention to Thane who was watching her.  
  
"Shepard. Glad you are here. Need to speak with you. Important business, also a private matter. Request Sere Krios to leave." Shepard nodded at him and walked toward the lab table where Mordin was currently working.

"Thane, you'll need to leave. Private matters discussed with me are just that. Private."

He understood that the crew's privacy was important to her, always had been even when she was just a member of a crew and not the Commander of one. He gave a small bow,  "I shall be up in our cabin."  
  
"Shepard noticed the level of stress has increased since Krios joined the team." He bustled around to the other side of the table to check her over. "Notice less healing of the scars as well. You can always come to me for help. Doctor-patient confidentiality. May look helpless but I am not."

Shepard gave him a weak smile. "I know Mordin,  thank you. Just, our past history. I never expected to see him again. I'm not taking it well."  
  
"Hmm. Will give you something to help with stress. Will add it to your medical file, have added new security measures. Cerberus has no right to encroach on the members' medical files, at least those that are not Cerberus." He went back to his table and entered something into his terminal,  one of the small machines started running and he gathered the small vial of pills and handed them to her. "Only take if you feel overly stressed. No more than one per day. If it doesn't seem to work come to see me. Now business is done. I have a personal matter to discuss. My old team. The one worked on genophage. One of them may be in trouble. Need assistance. Has gone missing,  Intel seems to point to him being on Tuchanka."  
  
"You think the krogan found out about his work?" Mordin blinked and seemed to pale just slightly.

"Hope not. Need to go to Tuchanka,  rescue him. He is still a member of my old team. Have to do what I can to help."  
  
"Alright, Mordin. We can go there after we pick up Tali. We are almost to Haestrom,  should be able to send a message to my old friend Wrex and let him know. That way no krogan surprises waiting for us when we land. I'll let you know before we get there so you can be ready."  
  
"Thank you, Shepard."

* * *

  
  
"We need to find a way to stay out of the sun. It's frying our goddamn shields."  
  
Shepard leaned against the open doorway,  listening to the recorded announcement letting them know that there were definitely Geth somewhere on the planet. "I know, Zaeed. Both of you two, use your sniper rifles from the shadowed areas. I'll try and move around for clearer shots. We go from shade to shade."  
  
After several hours of killing geth,  blowing up things with demolition charges. Yelling at a quarian to stay down and try not to get killed. They were trying to disable a Colossus that had its own repair protocol. "Garrus,  we need to alternate our overloads. Neither one of my weapons will really do much damage. I'll use what heavy weapon ammo I have. But we got to get that bastard's armor and shields down. Z you keep hitting it with everything you got." The others nodded their agreement and she stood up hitting it with overload as they others shot at it, then Garrus hit it with the same tech power. Shepard hit it with a missile. They kept it up until finally, the giant Geth collapsed.  
  
They sat for a few minutes,  then went down the ladder. Shepard picked up whatever heavy ammo crates that the geth and quarians had left laying around while the others gathered up a couple of crates of minerals they had spotted when they were on the sniper perch.  
  
"Tali,  it's safe to open up."

* * *

  
  
Shepard waited until the others had left the shuttle and made a quick call. "Aaron,  listen to me don't say anything. I have to make it quick. We have one more side trip to make then will be coming to the Citadel. Tali and Garrus will be heading there to do some upgrades on the security system. I'll see you later on that night. I love you. Will see you soon, ok." She cut the call and stepped off the shuttle. Thane was walking toward the shuttle from the elevator.  
  
She let out a sigh and started forward at a slow pace. "How did your mission go?"  
  
"Fine. I'm hot and tired, Thane. All I want is a shower, to get something to eat and some sleep before dealing with krogan. I'm really not in a mood to deal with ... things right now."  
  
Thane stood with his hands behind his back as they waited for the elevator, "Siha, I wish you would believe me when I say I am not an enemy here. I did not abandon you. Do not turn away from me,  now that we are together again,  things can be worked out. We need to have a rational discussion about what has happened to each of us over the last several years."  
  
The doors opened on the CIC deck and Kelly told her of new messages and that Grunt is busting stuff up down in the cargo hold. She set a course for Tuchanka then headed down to the hold, Thane right behind her. "Why are you following me around the ship?"  
  
"This seems to be the only way to spend any time with you." They got off the elevator and headed to see Grunt. Thane stayed near the door and watched how Shepard handled the teenage krogan. As they left he noticed just how much she was lagging from tiredness. "Let me retrieve you some food while you shower. I wish to be of help to you."  
  
She looked at him, not understanding how his mood could change from wanting to help her, to threatening her.  He had always been a bit more dominant in some matters than others. She put it down to him evolving from a predator race. He never once hurt her,  but she no longer knew anything about him, not even the tiniest amount. "I'll just grab a bar on the way up." She saw him shift and his hands start to clench before he put them behind his back.  
  
"You should talk to the other team members. Get to know them. You will be accompanying us on Tuchanka. We have two missions there." She stepped off the elevator,  grabbed what she wanted and went to the med bay,  restocked her supply of medigel then went up to the loft.  She had left him standing in the middle of the mess hall in her rush to get away from him.  
  
Thane heard the door to the Main Battery open and two people come out, talking in low whispers. When they saw him they stopped talking and the quarian rushed past him heading for the elevator. He noticed the turian didn't say anything just stared at him then turned and walked back into the battery.

* * *

  
  
Shepard was asleep on the bed when he went up to the loft. He had spent some time speaking to the Doctor who went over his test results and also what happened on the first Normandy,  that she could speak about anyway. He spoke to the mess sergeant, a Rupert Gardner,  not a bad fellow ... for Cerberus. Kasumi welcomed him in, they spoke about the books she had and he noticed several items that had gone missing over the last several years was placed in strategic places around the small area she seemed to have set up as a bedroom of sorts.  
  
The pilot had been interesting, though very nervous. He finally told him he didn't like people on the bridge for medical reasons. Since he had Vrolik's syndrome,  someone could inadvertently break his bones. Thane had kept his distance and it seemed to calm the pilot down somewhat,  he asked him if he had been on the first Normandy or if he was hired by Cerberus.  After getting more information about what his wife had gone through without him being there to help her, he headed to the loft.  
  
He had learned many things by talking to a few of the others. Jane had been through so much over the last 10 years. Why didn't she return his emails,  his messages over the years?  He removed his boots and stripped off his clothes, sliding carefully into the bed next to her. Breathing in her scent,  reveling in having her once again next to him. So many years gone to them. Why?  
  
He was careful not to touch her, he learned that early in their relationship if she was already asleep before he had gone to bed. Touching her would cause her to activate her biotics if it startled her awake. He sighed and closed his eyes. They needed to talk. Something just didn't make sense. They had fallen in love,  he was sure of it,  but something changed.  
  
  
***~* Thane's PoV ~ Dream Sequence / Flashback *~***  
  
_10.5 years ago_  
  
Thane was sitting in the booth of the area of the bar with the darkest shadows. He opened his omni tool once again,  reading the message. He had no need to,  his species had an eidetic memory. He could recite that letter word for word. But morbid fascination had him reading it again.  
  
_Sere Krios,_  
  
_We would like to inform you that from your current health records we have chosen you as one of the participants of the first trials of testing for a possible cure for Keprals. As you know the fatal disease that you have contracted is not communicable,  and you have one of the slowest forming varieties. It is why you were chosen. If you should like more information please reply at your earliest convenience. There are requirements on your end to be met beforehand. These will be discussed only if you formally agree for the trial._  
  
_Drs. Umor & Vasco_  
  
A trial,  for a possible cure. Maybe it would help the others, if it worked whether he lived through the process or not,  maybe this would go toward redemption for his sins. He picked up his drink, something he wouldn't normally do but this seemed to be a special occasion. After downing it he sent his reply,  agreeing to the trial. Within minutes he was sent back a message with an attachment,  containing a formal contract,  medical release along with the list of requirements.  
  
He scanned over the documents,  then the list. Nothing he cared about until the last requirement. He needed a non-drell donor to take part in the trials with him,  someone to be willing to donate tissue and to act as a medical proxy,  they preferred to be a married couple or partners as they would be sharing quarters at the facility. That gave him pause. No non-drell contacts that close,  if he was honest with himself not even drell contacts that close. His hanar handlers made it known when he was six that they would not be considered family,  they would not come to his aid no matter the circumstances. The Compact was business only,  not personal.  
  
He blinked, seeing his redemption fading away. To have someone do that for him,  to have someone that close that he could trust... was only a dream. He was a Master Assassin, it would take a rare person indeed to accept him. He let out a sigh and ordered another drink. He was halfway through it when he heard the female's loud whispers and half drunk giggling from the next booth over.  
  
"You do it." He heard one say,  they were drunk enough that their whispers were anything but.

"Nope, not interested. And he looks dangerous."  
  
"Pfft... how can you tell.  He looks hot to me,  and not just 'cuz... you know he's wearing leather." A burst of giggles from the three at the table drew several other eyes. He wasn't used to being seen. If he wasn't on a job he rarely left his rooms,  but he needed to get out tonight.  The room's walls felt like they were closing in and he couldn't meditate, the memory of the message kept interfering.  
  
"Jane,  you do it. You're the big shot,  fearless Skyllian Blitz hero. Not to mention,  you're on mandatory medical leave for another year. Maybe you can get lucky and get some action of another kind while you are stuck here." The two giggled some more,  then yelped when the third smacked them both on the shoulders.

"Yeah, you do it. We dare you," she giggled harder, "we... we triple dog dare ya." Then they all burst out laughing for some reason.  
  
"What if he's gay or married,  that would be embarrassing as hell. If you want me to take that dare you need to put up something, each of you. Let's see...",  he cast a quick glance at the table, he just about had enough and was getting ready to leave before the female actually came over to his table. "You both pick up the tab if he turns out to be gay. If he's married you guys need to pay the tab and meals for the next three days. But if neither applies and I can get him to kiss me, you guys owe me each a month's pay. If I get him to take me back to his place,  you guys owe me a weekend spa getaway."  
  
The other two grumbled, "alright, deal."  
  
The female downed her drink for liquid courage and slid out of the booth. He glanced up at her when she moved to in front of his table, "is this seat taken?" They both heard the giggles from the next booth and she huffed out a sigh before scooting in next to him. She moved close and whispered, "listen, I know you heard us and I'm really sorry. But after holding off about a billion batarians pretty much alone I need that damn spa break. And they need to be the ones to pay for it 'cuz, well, I'm pretty much broke at the moment. So how about we pretend you take me back to your place for a night of hot sex,  instead I'll sleep on the couch,  leave the next morning and collect my spa vacation."  
  
He gave a slight twist of his lips,  she hadn't been as drunk as she led them to believe, "and how do you know I'm not married? The last thing I would need is to explain to my wife why there is a human female asleep on our couch."  
  
"Shit,  I didn't think about that.  I don't want to cause problems between you and your wife... well,  at least I'll get three days of decent meals and don't have to worry about the tab. Sorry for bothering you." She started to slide from the booth when he placed a hand over hers.

"I'm not married,  but I have one condition. There is something I need help with. Nothing illegal. If I agree to kiss you will you agree to hear me out when we get back to my hotel room? That way you get both the months pay and the spa deal." He had no idea why he said that, why he would think this strange female would be interested in helping him at all.  
  
She grinned at him, "I like the way you think. As long as what you need help on is on the up and up,  you have a deal."  
  
He leaned in, his one hand brushing fingertips down her cheek and across her full lips. His eyes looked into hers as he placed light kisses to her cheek then her lips, his tongue slipping between her lips when she gasped. A slight tremble went from her to him,  their eyes seeking each others then slowly closing as the kiss deepened. Their lips moving against each others, their tongues twining together. Something inside him woke,  sending a fierce need through him. A fire in his blood ignited as this human's lips moved against his. They heard the giggles from the next booth and broke apart.  
  
They slid out of the booth and as Thane paid his bill, he saw the female smirk at the women at the table next to them, before wrapping his arm around her and walking with her to the door.  
  
It seemed natural that they kissed again while waiting for the transport to arrive, Thane programmed the address in and they left. Within minutes of the car taking off, the female had crawled into his lap and started kissing him again. Their hands roaming over each of their bodies. Their breathing became harsh,  their moans filling the car. When they arrived at his hotel they broke apart just long enough to make it to his door. He had her pinned to the wall outside of his room, his hand on her thigh lifting it up and wrapping her leg around him as he growled and ground into her. He stopped kissing her long enough to activate his security app,  scanning for any signs of entry. Her mouth kissed and licked along his ribbing,  sending shivers along his spine and his growls and trills growing louder. When it came back clean,  he picked her up,  wrapped those long legs of hers around him and carried her through the now opened door and into the room.  
  
The door closed behind them,  he slammed her against the wall with a groan as he blindly reached for the lock. When the beep sounded his hands went to where hers was trying to figure out how the drell clothing was held together. Between them the closures and hidden buckles came undone,  his jacket dropping to the floor. Her indrawn breath drew his attention, she was gazing at his body,  her eyes and hand tracing the markings on his arms. Her fingertips brushing lightly along his scales. "Gorgeous."  
  
He grinned at her then reached for the hem of her shirt,  tugging it up and off. His hands hot on the skin of her waist as he rubbed his thumbs along her rib cage. He carried her to the bed,  dropping her then setting the security protocols for his room before joining her on the bed. He leaned over her kissing her as her hands ran over his head,  touching the ridges and frills. Skimming the soft ribbing before returning to the rest of his body. When he started kissing her throat working his way down her chest he stopped,  looking at her breasts.  
  
"You'll need to help me out here a bit, I've never been with a human." Skimming his hand along her abdomen and waist, she reached down moving his hand to her breast,  showing him how she liked to be touched. Then she wiggled a bit to unhook it from the back and draw it off. He quickly removed his vest and she licked her lips,  causing him to growl again.

"Use your mouth and tongue." She whispered as her hands went back to work running over his sculpted muscles,  tracing the stripes. His rough tongue licked over her breast and he watched as the other nipple puckered,  his fingers rubbing it causing her to groan out.

"So soft, so responsive."  
  
Her hands moved to his pants,  brushing along the waist band,  her fingers dipping between it and his scales. He reached down, his hand dragging one of hers to his erection and pressing her palm against him firmly,  showing her how to stroke him through his tight leather pants. His head tipped back and his eyes closed. He bucked into her hand then moved his own to her pants,  undoing the snaps and dragging them down her body,  leaving her in a pair of blue silk panties. Those were soon removed as was his own pants.  
  
Their hands went back to exploring followed by their mouths and tongues. She gasped and started to shake as his tongue touched her heated core, he looked up at her face and saw her eyes closed, her mouth open on a silent groan. "Mmm,  beautiful." Her legs started to shake as he licked her over and over,  his tongue swirling around the little nub that he had found. When he ran his tongue over it her body had bowed off the bed and her pheromones spiked higher. Her body started to shake harder the more he licked her,  his tongue going deep inside that moist cavern. Licking along her inner walls,  causing her to gasp and grind against his mouth. When he moved his tongue back to that little nub then took it between his lips,  she bucked into his mouth and screamed. Her body shaking and perspiring,  the tiny beads of sweat rolling off her body. Her breathing harsh in the room.  
  
"Oh God." She said huskily,  her body still shivering as he moved up her,  kissing her as he went. He chuckled then gasped as she hooked her legs around him and rolled them over. Her hands moving down his arms, then pinning his arms above his head. He raised his eye ridge at her. Then closed his eyes as he felt her lips and tongue start to follow the path of the stripes. His breathing sped up,  he felt a slight pinch in his lungs but pushed the pain back. It had been years since his body had reacted to that of another. He wouldn't let Keprals stop him from enjoying the way his body had come alive under this female's touch.  
  
His eyes flew open as he felt her mouth kissing a path down his body, his erection throbbed as he felt her hand draw up his thigh,  her nails lightly scraping against his scales. "You're magnificent," her breath against his lower abdomen caused his body to clench,  when her finger touched the base of his cock he let out a groan. He felt her draw it up his length,  stopping to run it against the ridges that encircled him. He heard her hum, and saw her draw her bottom lip between her teeth as she ran her finger across his tip. The bead of precum coating her finger before running it down the other side.  
  
When her hand enclosed him in her warm palm he couldn't help but thrust into her,  her hand sliding in a slow torturous rhythm up and down his length,  giving just a slight twist at the base. The trills coming from him grew louder. The moment he felt her hot breath against him,  his heart almost stopped. When she licked him, it started to beat again almost hard enough to explode from his chest. When she closed those lips of hers around him and sucked him deep inside that hot mouth of hers,  he cried out, his body shaking from the new sensation. Her lips and tongue against him, drawing him deep into her mouth,  the suction exquisite.  
  
His hands were fisted into the sheet,  his abdominal muscles contracted as the feeling intensified. Her head moved faster taking him deeper, he felt the heat start in his balls, "stop. You need to stop or this will end too fast." She dragged her lips up his shaft one last time before releasing him. He let out a groan and growl, as he grabbed her and pinned her to the bed. "I do not know what it was that you were doing to me,  but it felt incredible."  
  
She gave a short laugh before tracing the pattern on his head and neck, "it's called a blow job. We humans sometimes do that to our male partners,  some of us even let them come inside our mouths." She pulled his head down and whispered next to it, "I swallow." He jerked,  his hands gripping her.

"Hmm,  maybe next time. This time I want to feel that heat between your legs as I find my release." He moved to between her legs, testing her readiness and finding her soaked. He looked into her eyes as he started to push inside, using an infinite patience to let her adjust to him instead of just slamming into her as his body was wanting to do.  
  
He let out a hiss as he was finally fully seated in her hot creamy warmth. "You're so tight." He groaned as he pulled out slightly then thrust back in.  He kept the slow pace, listening and watching her responses, making sure she was finding as much pleasure in their union as he was. When she arched her back and cried out for more,  he moved faster,  his body responding thrusting hard and deep. Their panting breath,  cries and groans filled the small hotel room. The light squeak of the bed growing faster as their bodies came together. He felt her start to shake and he wanted more, he thrust in once more then pulled out. She gasped then got to her knees as he rolled her over,  lined himself up and thrust hard inside. Both of them let out a shout at the new feeling. His hands gripped her hips and he started to slam inside her, the sound of her flesh slapping against his scales growing more rapid.  
  
He felt her body tense and tighten around his, "god's your getting tighter,  how can this be...", he groaned out as felt her constrict him.  Then she screamed and her body began to pulse around his, a searing heat of liquid fire surrounded him. He hissed as his own body faltered, slammed inside her once again before finding his throbbing release deep inside. He carefully pulled out of her,  his lungs on fire and hurting. But it had been so worth that trivial pain for the pleasure he had felt,  for the pleasure he had given to this female.  
  
When they laid down to rest,  her head on his shoulder and wrapped tightly in his arms,  she let out a sigh. "That was so much better then sleeping on a lumpy couch," she smirked and he let out a laugh,

"I am in full agreement with you."

The female let out a yawn and sighed, "that was wonderful. I don't even know your name."  
  
"I am Thane, Thane Krios." He waited to see if she recognized the name of the most feared assassin in the galaxy.

She only snuggled closer, "nice to meet you Thane, my name is Jane Shepard."  
  
"I am very pleased to meet you Jane." He had whispered to her as her breathing changed to one of someone falling asleep. He would talk to her about the trial in the morning. For now,  his body was sated,  his soul was awake and he felt alive again. It was enough.  
  
*~*  
  
Thane came awake,  his wife was snuggled up against him and his body was raging at him to make her his once again. He wanted her, wanted to wipe the memory of another males body from her. He should apologize for how he treated her earlier, his need to dominate his mate had ridden him hard. He would bring his body back under control until they could sit and talk,  figure out what had happened between that morning he left to have his surgery and when he woke from the coma he had been in.  
  
Until then,  he would enjoy these few moments when her body instinctively sought out his own wanting to be close.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank everyone for the comments and kudo's left on the story. Glad to see people are getting some enjoyment from it. I appreciate them very much, as they keep me motivated to continue on a story.

* * *

 

 

After getting Grunt to calm down enough to get him on board the shuttle, the others climbed in and headed down to the surface of Tuchanka. Grunt started pacing and banging into the side of the shuttle causing it to rock. She grabbed him by the chin and shook him, "sit your ass down right now, Mister, or I won't be buying you that new Krogan action figure with the smashable Rachni Queen bonus figure you have been wanting. Do you understand me?" The krogan blinked at her and let out a snarl,  but sat down when she didn't back down from him.  
  
When they settled on the planet,  they all piled out and was stopped by one of the krogan guarding the door.  He warned them all,  then told them to go see the Clan Urdnot leader. Shepard led them all down into the lower areas, keeping an eye on Mordin.  
  
Wrex was sitting in a giant stone throne, Shepard snickered when she caught sight of him. Sitting there his head in one of his hands while another krogan blathered on about how Wrex was going against all the traditions. He caught sight of Shepard and stood up pushing the other krogan away from him and walking toward her. "Shepard,  my friend. It is good to see you. You look good for being dead."  
  
Thane watched as Shepard laughed at the Krogan battlelord,  her eyes twinkling and she looked happier then she had since he had come aboard. "I've missed you too, Wrex. So tell me what you have been up to for the past 2 years." Wrex sat down and told her everything he's been implementing with the clan, trying to get them set up to deal with the Reapers,  deal with trying to keep their population from completely dying out. Also figuring out how to revitalize their dying world. Shepard let out a low whistle, "you've been busy, Wrex. Do you think it's working?"  
  
The old krogan gave her a shrug, "I don't know, Shepard. But if we don't do something then our whole race is doomed,  we can't keep going in the same direction we are right now. But enough of that, we don't usually let people trade on Tuchanka but you're an exception. So what brings you here?"  
  
Shepard stuck her thumb over her right shoulder, "I got this krogan on my team and he's sick or something." Grunt pushed his way to stand beside of Shepard and Wrex leaned forward,  sniffed and started to laugh. "He's not sick, Shepard. He's come of age, he needs to be put through the Rite of Passage." The other krogan that had been talking to Wrex rudely interrupted,  pacing a circle in around Grunt,  voicing his objection when he heard that Grunt was a tank born. Wrex stood up and headbutted the other krogan,  almost knocking him out. The other krogan walked off yelling he was going to far. Wrex watched him walk toward the one remaining staircase and muttered, "idiot."  
  
He explained to both Shepard and Grunt they needed to go see the Shaman,  he would be the one to explain everything to them. "You too, Shepard,  how many times have you put yourself through stuff for your crew. You will also take part in the Rite." Thane moved to step forward and voice his own objections when Shepard started to laugh. "If I pass this Rite,  you owe me a case of the usual. If I lose ... well I have a feeling I'll be dead." This time Wrex started to laugh, "deal, Shepard. Try not to lose."  
  
Wrex sat back down and Shepard moved closer, "listen, Wrex. There is one more  thing. A salarian was captured by the blood pack,  we think he's here on Tuchanka." Wrex grunted then said in a low voice, "talk with my Chief Scout, he's got the information. But don't distract him for long,  he's got to keep an eye on all these other clans." She nodded then walked down the shattered piece of concrete that was acting as a ramp to the main walkway.  
  
She spotted what looked like a shop and went over to talk to the owner. "Kill a bunch of these damn pyjaks using the defense guns and I'll give you a discount,  human." She walked back toward where Wrex said the Shaman would be waiting for them, stopping long enough to pat a purple varren on the head on the way past.  
  
Shepard had enough of the posturing of that very same krogan that had objected about Grunt when she was talking to Wrex, so she hauled off and headbutted the krogan just like Wrex had showed her how.  The shaman started to laugh and the other krogan stomped off. He finished explaining the Rite and Shepard told him that Grunt's krantt will meet them at the Tomkah in 10 minutes. She hurried them all back to the shuttle, "God Mordin, I think I broke my head... help."  
  
Mordin's mouth curled into a small smile and injected her with a pain killer after running the scan on her. "Not broken, Shepard. But a nice lump is forming. Try not to do that again. Will wait here, gather information from Wrex. Have fun, Shepard."  
  
Shepard grunted and took off for the Tomkah followed by Grunt and Thane.  
  
"You have got to be kidding, a fucking thresher maw... what the hell was Wrex thinking." Shepard yelled as she threw a warp followed by cryo blast. Thane kept shooting it with his specialized ammo and alternating it with his own warp. He heard Shepard yell out, seeing her stumble as the cover she was behind crumbled and some of the acid that the maw spit out hit her. The tech armor sputtered then went out. "Siha!"  
  
Thane started to run to her when she rolled, her armor activating again,  she scrambled to get behind the concrete block. Thane barely made it to cover before the entire area was hit with an acid spray. "What the hell is wrong with you, Thane? You have light armors on,  you get hit with that acid and it's all over."  
  
"I just found you again,  I will not lose you to a ... worm." Thane growled out as he threw another warp. "What the hell do you think you could do? I have several layers of armor. You barely have one. Enough of this shit. I'll draw its attention you get to better cover. That's an order." She moved to the edge and took the missile launcher off her back. She threw a warp then stood up pulling the trigger on the missile launcher several times,  sending out guided missiles. "Now, Thane. Haul your ass."  
  
Grunt emptied his shotgun toward the maw,  his incendiary ammo doing a bit more damage then her normal ammo did. She sent out another warp then ran skidding behind a different piece of cover,  opening the heavy ammo box that had been half covered in the dirt, hoping for several packs. Instead she found only one. "Shit, shit." She loaded in, and when the giant worm popped back up, warps were sent out from both her and Thane,  then she emptied the launcher before sending out a heavy cryo blast.  
  
They finally beat the worm,  standing up as they seen it collapse to the ground and not sink below the surface. Thane gathered up several of the heat sinks that were still scattered on the ground, splitting them up between them. Shepard levered herself up, slipping the fresh clips into a holder then handed him a bar to replace his calories,  tearing another one open with her teeth before walking away from him to check on Grunt.  
  
"Jane, are you hurt?" Thane asked her quietly. "No. Don't you ever break cover like that unless you know for certain one of the other team is down. There is a reason you are in a sniper location. You know better,  or you should. But I guess, since you don't stick around for much team work,  it may be too foreign a concept for you." Shepard looked up as a shuttle arrived. "We have company."

* * *

  
  
Once they got back to the krogan camp,  they went to see Wrex. " You just can't help but to cause trouble can you, Shepard?" She shrugged at him. "The last person to take down a Maw,  was me during my Rite." He stood up and placed a giant paw on Grunt's shoulder. "You are now Urdnot Grunt. With all the rights and responsibilities that goes with that name." Grunt smiled,  still clutching the new shotgun that was given to him by the Shaman.  
  
"Wrex, is there anyway we can get some type of accommodations here,  for 3. I really don't want to go back up to the Normandy just to come back down in the morning to take care of the next bit of business." Wrex shifted, "yeah. It won't be much more then a tent and a couple of cots. Go take a look around and get the ones you want down here. By the time you're back the tent will be set up on the top floor of that building over there,  easily defensible if anyone is stupid enough to try to attack you."  
  
They went back to the shuttle, Grunt heading up to the Normandy to be checked out by Chakwas,  Thane declined,  insisting he stay planet side with Shepard. She bristled at him then turned away. She went to one of the shops purchasing a variety of premade upgrades for the crew,  stopped to talk to a mechanic and then shot the hell out of a bunch of pyjacks that were trying to steal grain from one of the storage silos. The scout gave them as much information as he had on the salarian and told her that a Tomkah will be made ready for them in the morning.  
  
Shepard went back to the first shop,  bought up the mods and bought a new piece of armor,  and Ratch gave her some meat to feed to the varren that had greeted her when she walked into the shop. "I see Urz finally found someone else to follow around." The krogan said,  as he watched Shepard pet the varren.  Urz rolled over and Shepard rubbed and scratched his belly,  his back leg kicking out in response. The varren's tongue was hanging out and he looked to be in heaven at all the attention.  
  
"Who's a good varren? That's right it's you. You're a good varren." Shepard said in voice that had Mordin tipping his head and scanning Shepard to see if she was feeling alright. Concerned the lump on her head was affecting her speech.  
  
Laughter boomed out across the "courtyard" from where Wrex was sitting on his throne watching Shepard play with the beast. "I see you made a new friend, Shepard. He's yours if you want to take him with you." She grinned as the varren wiggled to get her attention back on him again.  
  
"Shepard, must warn. Varren carry scale itch. Nasty issue. Must be tested first." Mordin said to her quickly before she could just arbitrarily agree.  
  
She nodded that she heard him and then turned back to Wrex shouting back at him, "get him tested for all the nasties Wrex. I'll have the request form ready to submit, but I need the test results before hand." The big krogan waved his hand to let her know he heard her, then went back to his business.  
  
"Did you hear that boy,  you get a new home,  yes you do."  Shepard was making faces at the varren and scratching him still. "Siha,  do you really think it is a good idea to, hmm,  adopt a pit fighter? If you want a pet I will provide you one."  
  
"I don't need anyone to provide for me. Urz is well trained, which proves he's intelligent. He will take to being trained outside of the pit just as well,  and he will be provided a purpose." She didn't see Thane clench his fists or grit his teeth.  
  
She stood up and spoke with Ratch, she wanted a collar,  harness and leash made. Strong but must be within the current Citadel guidelines for exotic pets. She opened her omni tool and downloaded the forms for the tests and guidelines. "Sometimes it pays to still be a Spectre. When he is fully tested,  send me a notice. I'll swing by to pick him and the paperwork up. I'll need these supplies as well. I'll pay for them now, just have them ready when I get here." She transferred a large sum of credits to Ratch to pay for everything and he nodded. At first surprise that she was serious about taking this particular varren. He warned her it was a retired champion, never lost a fight. She shrugged. "He's intelligent. He's perfect."  
  
The varren followed her everywhere and laid on the floor beside her cot when they settled down for sleep that night,  much to Thane's regret,  he was hoping to drag his cot over to beside her. Now he had to sleep along the opposite wall. At least with the varren guarding his wife he could relax a bit. No one was stupid enough to try and attack them, he had heard the warnings from Wrex.

  
  
***~* Dream Sequence Shepards PoV *~***  
  
The next morning, she woke up in the arms of the drell. Sighing,  she gently ran her hand over his arm. Such strength laid under those scales,  yet he had been so gentle,  controlled. She still felt the ache between her legs from his possession of her the previous night, a drell's anatomy was different then a human's in many ways. Size and ribbing was just two of them. But damn was it ever worth it. The biggest surprise of all was there had been no nightmares. She had slept the night through. No screams of dying colonists, no gunfire or explosions. No shouting at people to get to cover. Nothing,  just a deep,  refreshing sleep.  
  
She yawned and stretched,  the drell,  no Thane, stirred beside her. His eyes opened taking in everything at a glance. She smiled at him,  "good morning". She leaned over and brushed a kiss to his lips,  his hand came up holding her in place for a longer,  deeper kiss then what she had intended. She hoped like hell she didn't have morning breath.  
  
When he started to take things further she stopped him, "bathroom,  sorry." He let out a soft laugh and pointed to the small door to the left of the bed. She rolled out and walked to the bathroom, she could feel his eyes burning on her bare body as she moved to the door he had indicated. She used the facilities and washed up using one of the folded cloths. Sighing she looked at herself in the tiny mirror,  noticing the dark circles under her eyes seemed to be a bit lighter. She rinsed her mouth and walked back out.  
  
He was standing by the small dresser, his pants on but not fastened. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "Where you going?" She asked him between kisses to his scaled back. He turned and wrapped his arms around her. "Out to get us breakfast,  if you want to use the shower go ahead. After we eat, I would like to tell you of what I need help on."  
  
"Mm... you could always join me taking a shower and we can wait until lunch." She leaned in licking along the stripe above his pectoral muscle,  she felt his body shiver and heard his groan.  His arms tightened around her. "Such a temptress. I would love to join you in a shower. But this thing I need to discuss with you,  it is very important not only to me but possibly to my entire species. As such,  I would rather speak to you while we are not under the affects of a haze of spent lust. Possibly after you hear me out,  we can see about a shower." He grinned at her and kissed her forehead.  
  
Her eyes searched his, "it really is that important? Not just something you said as an excuse to bring me back here?" He nodded, " yes,  Jane, it is that important. It was no excuse."  
  
"Okay,  we'll eat then talk." She brushed a hand along his head, watching as his eyes fluttered closed and he leaned into her palm as he let out a sigh.  
  
***  
  
When they were finished eating,  he guided Shepard to the lone chair in the small hotel room. "How much do you know of my species?"  
  
"Not much." She gave a shrug and he nodded, then launched into a brief history and current conditions of his people. He sat on the small coffee table and looked into her face. "The constant humidity on Kahje has had a most unfortunate side effect,  one in every five of us contract something called Kepral's syndrome. It is non communicable  and fatal. There is no current cure for this disease." He blinked and looked away from her. "I have a slow forming version of it. The doctors give me, at most if I stay away from humid conditions,  maybe another 10 years before my body is consumed by the disease."  
  
He heard her in drawn breath and her oh no. "There are several scientists that are now accepting drell for the first of a set of trials to test a process that could give our people a cure. I have been chosen for this. But there is a condition that I have not met." He stood up and began to pace in front of her. Then stopped,  his back to her,  standing straight as a rod with his hands folded behind his back. "I need a donor,  a non drell,  willing to stay with me during the trial. To be willing to donate tissue and take part in it. It must be a non drell as it has to be Kepral free, resistant to the disease. I have no one."  
  
"Not even close friends?" She asked from where she was curled into a ball on the chair. "People in my profession do not make friends. We are by nature alone. Trained to be fully self sufficient. Friends are not something I would have ever thought to have,  let alone someone ... more." He turned to her and scratched at the top of his head. "I realize that this is quite a lot  more then kissing you and bringing you here for the night. I ... just do not have anyone else to ask. Taking part in this trial means very much to me, not because I may be cured,  but as a means of bringing a cure to others."  
  
"What do you know about these trials?" She started to bite her nail,  she couldn't believe she was actually contemplating helping this,  almost complete stranger. Having hot sex with him was one thing,  but subjecting herself to medical shit ...was a whole different ballgame.  
  
"I do not know. As part of their confidentiality agreement, only those that return the completed paperwork will be given more in-depth details. I do know that the trial is for between 6 months to a year,  depending on results. It is to take place here on the Citadel. Once entered into the agreement one week before the start of the trial, my donor and myself will be taken to a fully equipped facility where we will remain for the full trial,  unless the drell recipient doesn't survive, then the donor is free to leave."  
  
She stopped chewing on the side of her thumb and looked up at him, "so we can't leave?" He sat on the table again, "no, from what the documents stated it is for several reasons. The entire facility will be sterile and there is of course the possibility of tampering with the results. No one is to be allowed in once the trials start. There is one more thing." He stood up and started to pace again, paused and cleared his throat. Turning around he rubbed his head and took a light breath holding it for a second before releasing it. "As the donor and test subject must share a small room,  they would prefer married couples or those that are life partners. The donor will be given medical proxy and all decisions concerning the drell if they should need decisions made and are unable to do so on their own. I would ... I would prefer my donor and I to be married,  for several reasons,  one of which is I would provide for you. For doing this I will give you everything I have, everything I will ever have in the future. It is a small thing to repay your kindness to me,  your willingness to help my people. Secondly, my personal belief system. This is more than just a temporary sharing of bodies, so much more."  
  
He looked at her,  sitting there staring at him with her mouth gaping open. "You ... you want me to marry you. So you can take part in this medical trial to maybe die or maybe find a cure for your people? This is a whole lot more than just asking for a kiss or a one night stand,  no matter how hot the sex was." She jumped up out of the chair and started to pace in the small confines of the room,  she looked up as he shifted then moved to the small window. He looked out for a few seconds then bowed his head. "This trial ... this trial is a way to begin to redeem my soul from all the sins I have committed. Drell believe that our soul is separate from our bodies,  that unless we make a conscious decision to do something,  our soul is not blackened by the sin. But there are times when things have happened during one of the contracts,  where I had to make a choice. It is those choices that weigh heavily upon me. It is for those choices that I seek redemption before my soul is called upon to return to the sea."  
  
She could only stare at his back,  his voice had trembled and cracked during his explanation. This was no small thing he was asking, and she could tell it was not something he would have just asked anyone. "Why me? I just met you last night."  
  
His big onyx eyes blinked before he answered her. "You woke me up. Something about you.  When your lips met mine, my soul woke up. Colors brighter than ever,  sounds and smells more intense. My body came alive under your touch. I hadn't had any form of response for many years now. No one interested me, the contracts that were sent suggesting a more personal touch would be needed I declined. I have felt nothing for so long,  nothing until last night. This has to be a sign from Arashu,  one of my Goddesses,  that you were sent to join with me. It was no coincidence you were on the Citadel,  in that bar,  that particular night. That is the first time I have left this room other than when it was connected to my work,  and you just happened to be in the next booth. That you just happen to have a year's medical leave. That when we kissed we both felt something, more than just lust." He turned to her, "it could be no coincidence that, a few moments after accepting the offer and receiving the forms. I find out I need a donor and you just happen to take that bet."  
  
She rocked on her feet, okay so yeah,  that was an awful lot of things to have been coincidental. But marriage?  
  
She looked at him closer,  his body was shaking,  it was subtle. But she could see it. "How long before the start of this trial, I mean, I would need time to think about this." _I can't believe I'm really still standing here and not bolting for the door._ He opened his omni tool and showed her the forms. They had 2 weeks. "Wait a second,  you said they would pick you and your donor up a week before the trial,  that only leaves me a week to decide. Less than that ... the paperwork and all that other shit." She opened her own omni tool and sat on the chair,  doing extranet searches for information and getting into the Alliance database for specific intel on how it could impact her there.  
  
"Damn,  it takes 2 days just for the paperwork on a wedding, then the ceremony and all that other stuff. Not to mention what I would need to file with the Alliance. There is no way I could do all this in a few days." She got up and walked to the tiny countertop cooler getting one of the small bottles of whiskey from it. She opened it and drank the entire tiny bottle in long swallow.  
  
"Hmm, the Alliance decides if you can marry or not?" Thane asked from across the room. "Huh? Oh, no. Not that. Its paperwork to update our files and so forth. Name changes, medical stuff,  dependent forms all that." He walked up behind her placing a hand over hers as she reached for another bottle. "If it is not necessary before marriage then it can be done while we are in seclusion for the trial. That is, if you are agreeing to marry me?"  
  
She carefully withdrew her hand from under his, "um, are we talking like ... a real marriage? Or are we talking one where we get a quickie divorce after the trial is over?" His brow ridges drew down, " what is this divorce you speak of? It did not translate into my language." She blinked up at him. "Uh,  you know,  when a married couple separate. Then dissolve the marriage, becoming single again." He frowned, "there is no such thing in drell culture. This is a human custom?"  
  
"Oh boy...",  she walked over and sat on the chair. "When a married couple find they can not tolerate each other,  can no longer find a reason to stay married. They go through legal channels,  in most cases,  to become divorced. The marriage legally dissolved."  
  
"You said in most cases."  
  
"Yeah,  there are some men and women,  who for various reasons... well mostly money, doesn't want to get a divorce as it splits all assets equally. They are vindictive enough that they don't want to give their soon to be divorced spouse anything. Many of them hire hit men to kill off their spouse or to set them up in a compromising position so they can claim adultery or something and get either a bigger settlement or break their pre marriage contract so they don't have to share." She shrugged, "it's not very common,  but it does happen. Money makes people do strange things sometimes."  
  
He was speechless, he took many contracts for assassinations,  it was his profession. But to hire an assassin just because someone did not want to provide for their wife or husband any longer? Of course before he became freelance he did not know of the details of his Compact assigned contracts,  past the names and locations of his targets.  
  
"This is not something my people do. If we live apart from our spouse due to work or other issues we still provide for them. There is no divorce. If you should agree to this, I would continue to provide for you until the day I die."  He sat on the table and watched her. After a few minutes he let out a low sigh,  his shoulder drooped as his head bowed.  
  
"The Alliance is going to be sending me God only knows where when I report back to duty and you have your own job ... whatever the hell it is.  Are you sure about this? I mean,   just meeting up on shore leave or whatever. I don't know even if your people are monogamous or not."  He sat back a little,  " yes, we are. I am sure there are some that have other proclivities."  
  
"Give me some time to think,  this is something huge."  
  
"Of course."  
  
She had left a little while after that,  meeting up with her friends and collecting her winnings. She messaged him telling him she would give him her answer in 3 days time after she had her spa break. His reply was immediate,  wishing her a restful break and that he would be waiting.  
  
Three days later after being spoiled,  pampered and much more relaxed she went to his hotel room. He answered his door after she let him know it was her. "Okay,  let's do this." He gave her a huge grin and picked her up hugging her. Several hours later as they sat in bed he filled out the paperwork and had it ready to send off. Then they found a full service chapel that had special licenses for quick marriages if you didn't need blood work done,  they carefully went through the list finding that neither one needed it as long as it was an interspecies marriage. An hour later they were standing in front of the officiate, she was holding a fake bouquet of flowers in one hand and two bored looking asari getting paid to witness their wedding standing off to the side. Thane sent off the documents and agreements right after the officiate handed them their filed marriage papers.  
  
*~*

* * *

  
  
Shepard woke up to the sight of a varren sitting there staring at her and panting,  his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. "Shit... Urz you scared me there for a second boy." She rubbed his head and got up. The others stirred as well. After they ate, Ratch came by to collect Urz to go for his tests and they headed for the Tomkah to take them to rescue Maelan.  
  
"Mordin,  you aren't a murderer." Shepard said to the salarian holding the pistol on his colleague. The older salarian blinked and relaxed a fraction, "no, no murderer. Thank you, Shepard." He breathed out a sigh and told the other one to leave,  assuring Shepard that no one would believe the younger salarian and he would no longer have access to any of the genophage data.  
  
When they got back to the camp Ratch was waiting with Urz,  told her that Fortack had been told to run all the tests immediately. He handed her a OSD and datapad with all of the Citadel required tests,  and the results, also having all his needed vaccinations.  
  
Two of the krogans grumbled but loaded up the freezer container that had a supply of meat in it and a crate with his other stuff into the shuttle. The three of them along with the varren piled into the shuttle,  Urz parking himself on top of Shepard's feet and immediately falling asleep.

* * *

  
She took Urz around to introduce him to her ground crew along with the pilot and doctor. Then asked Thane to take him upstairs to the loft to get him situated on his varren bed,  she needed to talk to the Doctor about something. She waited until she seen the back end of Urz disappear into the elevator before running to see Garrus making sure that Tali and him were ready. He went over the upgrades and showed her that everything was ready to be picked up. She just asked for a cup of coffee from Gardner when Thane and Urz came back downstairs.  
  
"He didn't want to stay up there." Thane said as Urz trotted over and sat beside Shepard leaning up against her leg. "He'll learn." She walked to the elevator followed by both of them and then set a course for the Citadel.

* * *

  
  
"I have Spectre business to take care of along with registering Urz. You may want to try and find yourself a hotel before they all fill up for the next couple of days." She told him as she walked down the ramp, Urz's leash held firmly in her hand.

"Where are you staying? I can meet you there and have the room already registered."  
  
She was afraid of this, "Tali and I share a room. We stay up all night and watch those romance stories while drunk off our asses."  
  
"I am your husband you are staying with me. I have kept my distance these last few days, but I will not let this continue." He growled out, keeping pace with her as she moved toward the customs lines. She sped up just fast enough to get in front of him,  flashing her Spectre ID and hurrying around the scanner while they stopped Thane and made him go through the line like the rest of them.  
  
After stopping at the Department for Exotic Pet Licensing and Registration Office, yelling at the clerk and slapping both the paperwork and her Spectre ID on the counter, she got Urz registered and legalized to be on the Citadel. Then she hurried over to the Presidium Tower, after stopping for Urz to water several of the trees on the way,  and giving him a container of raw beef... space cow... whatever it was, that she got from one of the local vendors to eat.  
  
She gave her report to the Council,  talked to Councilor Anderson a few minutes,  then headed home.

* * *

  
  
He had been following her all morning and afternoon, watching her as she made her stops going to the places she had told him about. He was just about ready to admit she had no ulterior motives for ditching him at customs when he noticed she wasn't heading in the direction the hotels were,  but to where the private residences of the Zakara Ward was.  
  
He was in the deep shadows cast by an alley when he saw her meet with Garrus and Tali outside of an apartment building. They seemed to be talking about something animatedly and showing her something on their omni tools. She nodded then hugged them both, hurrying inside the building after looking around. His fists clenched and his body went ridged. He hurried across the way, entering the building and looking around the corner. He saw her get in the elevator and heard the doors shut. He took off running up each set of stairs and waited for the elevator to either stop or continue. Finally after reaching the fourth floor the doors let out a ding and he hid once more behind the emergency stairwell door. He heard her walk past with Urz and opened the door slightly to see her stop to open the door at the far end.  
  
He let out a low,  ominous growl when he watched her walk into the arms of a human male before the door slid closed.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the kudo's and comments, glad there are readers out there that is enjoying the story.
> 
> My internet is on the fritz as apparently somewhere in my DSL line is a short or damage wire. So this will be the last chapter I post until it is fixed (hopefully), sometime next week.
> 
> Enjoy.

* * *

 

He was furious, she had lied. She promised she would take no lovers. Did their marriage mean so little? Was her promises really that worthless? His heart grew cold,  his eyes grew colder as he walked down the stairs. On the first floor he started to look for weak spots, air vents,  heating ducts, anything that would let him get into that apartment unseen. He went floor to floor,  quietly,  meticulously looking for the point of entry he wanted.  
  
The roof had one entry into the vent systems, the fan would have to be turned off for the minute it would take to lower himself past the blades. He made a mental note of the gear he would need to get himself down into the system. Then brought up the schematics of the building,  thanks to Citadel regulations the buildings all were listed along with their blueprints. He was able to see the path he would need to take to get to the vents above the apartment. From what little he knew about Garrus and Tali he would need to be prepared to bypass sophisticated tech.  
  
He placed calls to several of his contacts who sent him the latest in hacking and system bypass software, then he placed another call.  
  
"Tali, the Commander has told me that you stay at the same hotel, might I inquire what hotel that is so that I may also request a room there?" Thane looked at her,  his eyes unblinking and saw her twist her fingers. "Oh sure, sure. We stay at the Lunar Life. Not sure if they have any vacancies left or not."  
  
"Ahh,  I see. Thank you for the information,  hopefully I can get a room perhaps we can have dinner together this evening." He watched as she let out a little squeak and her luminous eyes blinked. "Sure, that sounds good. I have to go now. Good luck with the room." He immediately called the hotel to verify the information. When no listing came up, under either name, he ran a search. Tali had a room at a hotel near the Turian ward,  as did Garrus. His teeth grit and he flexed his hand.  
  
"Siha, just letting you know I have booked us a room at the Cosmos hotel at the outer Presidium ring. I shall expect you for dinner." He watched her hiss out a breath, and she very carefully made sure the camera on her omni tool didn't show more than what was necessary behind her. "I told you Tali and I stay together,  we always stay at the Maple Ridge hotel. You can see if there are any vacancies there and maybe switch."  
  
"I see. Very well then." He disconnected the call, took a deep breath and let it out. He bowed his head and sent a prayer to Amonkira,  he had hunting to do.  


* * *

  
  
He bought the needed gear and sat on the roof,  his back to the wall. The shadows from the vent system hid him from view. Closing his eyes to clear his mind,  to ready himself for what he would be doing later. He would remove this person, then teach is wayward wife that lying to him was not acceptable. This is one sin he would bear on his soul willingly.  
  
**~*~  Thane's PoV Flashback ~*~**  
  
He sat and watched his wife, how odd it was to him to think of her in that manner. Even odder to realize that he had been blessed in finding someone so willing to help a complete stranger. They would be leaving the following morning to go to the facility and she was busy filling out the forms the Alliance requested, both to update her personal files and to track her whereabouts on the Citadel. She was still under the forced medical leave and would need to report via holo vid to them once per week for her therapy. The information had already been forwarded to the medical clinic and they agreed to make a secure channel available to her for a specific time.  
  
She saved her progress and looked over at him,  the smile she gave his was radiant. "I'm almost done here. I just need your personal information to add so that it will update my emergency list and next of kin. She slid the datapad over to him and he picked it up,  hesitating to add his real identity to the file. They would most likely run a check and it would send up a red flag in their system. But their marriage license held his true name, he would not dishonor her by putting one of his false ID's on it. He quickly filled out the form and handed it back. He could only pray they don't delve to far into his background.  
  
She looked it over and then saved it again,  she would submit it once she got all the information from the clinic with the days and times she was able to use the system to call out. She got up and moved to sit in his lap, "I let everyone know that I will be out of touch. I told them I got clearance to go off Citadel, that way no one would be trying to nose into what we are doing. This is going to be so strange, hopefully they have enough stuff to do that we won't go stir crazy." He moved her hair to the side and kissed her temple, "I will teach you how to meditate it will help you to clear your mind and focus. I'm sure they will have plenty for us to do,  after all we will have to remain inside for that entire time."  
  
"Ugh,  don't remind me. Not going outside is going to be difficult." She sighed as he started kissing the side of her neck, "we will have many things to keep us busy while inside,  I think. We may rarely ever leave our room." His voice was a soft growl in her ear that sent shivers down her spine. He was still wandering what he did to be so blessed several hours later as he held his wife in his arms,  listening to her gentle breathing as she lay asleep beside him.  
  
***  
  
Thane had started to walk toward the doors when he noticed Shepard looking at the unimposing structure in front of them,  this building will be their home for almost the next year. White on the outside,  square shaped with only 2 floors. When they entered he took in everything in a quick glance,  everything inside was blindingly white as well,  no colors,  no plants artificial or live. The entrance area contained very little furniture,  very few shadows.  
  
"First we will need to do the initial exam before taking you into the secure area. We will be providing you clothing and your basic hygiene necessities. The less items taken down that could cause any form of contamination the better.  As such we ask that you please only take what is absolutely something that you can not be without. The rest of your belongings will be stored in a secure container, you will be the only ones with the access codes that you set yourself."  
  
Thane gave a slight nod of his head and removed one very small black book then closed his bag,  placing it in the container. He glanced at his wife and saw her chewing her lip, he had heard her earlier as they were packing their bags to bring with them, all the stuff that she had wanted to bring in the off chance she would get bored. Games,  music files,  books on data pads,  a bag of hair ties and her spiced vanilla shampoo.  Now he waited to see what she chose to bring with her. She removed the data pads,  the giant "value sized " bottle of shampoo and a small framed holo. "I'll need to put these data pads back inside after I send off some file updates."  
  
"Yes, yes. The clothing that you are wearing at the moment will need to be added into your container as well. A set for you to wear into the main facility will be provided." The salarian kept talking to them while Shepard updated her files again, then sent off some messages on her omni tool.  
  
"Mrs Krios,  follow me please." The green toned salarian said to her then started to walk away.  He glanced back, Shepard was still standing in the same spot looking around what she now thought was probably the lobby. "Mrs Krios? Is there something wrong?" It took her another few seconds to realize he was talking to her, "oh... that's me, sorry about that." She jogged to catch up to him. Thane let out a small laugh as he followed his own guide,  he heard her say, "newlyweds, still getting used to the Krios thing."  
  
***  
  
"Your scans show some more areas of damage from where Kepral nodules have metastasized. Still within parameters of trial. Environment will be beneficial to you,  though your wife will find it a bit difficult. She will be provided more fluids and a special lotion to combat the dryness that will happen to her skin. Once you change your clothing and place it into the container you will be taken down into the facility. The only time you will be able to leave is after the trial is finished,  or if you decline further trials. Then you can leave but you will be unable to come back. The same for your wife, she must remain or if she leaves she can not return." The salarian doctor explained to him as he was finishing up the data file, Thane was putting on the white loose clothing he was provided.  
  
Once finished they entered the main facility, already bustling with hanar and salarians. There were many drell wandering around,  many of them had asari companions. They spotted several with hanar and a few with turians. It looked like she may be the only human donor. "Still more coming in,  follow me will show you to your assigned room,  give you the schedule you will adhere to."  
  
There was one bed, it will be a tight fit for them. He chuckled when his wife muttered, "how the hell is a turian and drell gonna fit into one of these?" He placed his small book on the top of the dresser as she put her bottle and holo on the other then started to open the drawers. They were filled with several matching outfits,  loose white garments,  shapeless and formless.  
  
"At least we now know why they insisted on married couples or partners. Sharing this room otherwise will end with both people trying to kill each other inside a week." Shepard apparently found their hygiene items and let out an ugh sound, he walked up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. "You have your shampoo at least. When we can leave here I will buy you all the spiced vanilla items you could dream of." She turned in his arms wrapping them around him. "A bathtub sized bottle of lotion would be nice."  
  
He laughed, "if that is what you want I will do my best to provide it for you." He blinked at her then ran a thumb across her cheek, "I can never thank you enough for what you have done for me, Siha."  
  
"Siha? What is does that mean?"  
  
"One day, I will tell you." He lowered his head and kissed her, yes... yes this human was one of his people's Siha,  a warrior angel, a tenacious protector. Sacrificing so much for him and his people. She woke him from his battle sleep, shared with him her body, and now she has agreed to share with him her life. Possibly a full lifetime,  more than he would have ever hoped or dared to dream of.  
  
***  
The months dragged by. Test after test on both of them. At times they were both brought back to their room, weak and ill. Thane more so than Shepard. Several times they heard the crying of others as they received the news that the tests had been too much,  so many of the subjects had died. Several left of their own accord. Some had lost their donors when they had become ill and would no longer help. They now realized it was another reason for asking them to be married, too many of them just left the drell on their own when the tests became painful.  
  
Thane was having one of his bad days,  his body wracked by pain and sickness. "Siha, I am sorry. I did not know it would be like this. I would never had asked this of you or anyone had I known." She wiped his face and head with a soft cool cloth. Her touch upon his brow had a soothing feeling, his shakes became worse and she talked to him, told him stories about Earth. Changing the water when it became too warm. He must have become delirious at one point and started talking about his job because the next morning she confronted him about it.  
  
"You're a god damn assassin. Why the hell didn't you say something? For fuck's sake, didn't you think that being a killer and a criminal was important? I can't believe this."  
  
"Siha,  please, try to understand. I was given to the Compact at age 6,  this is what I had been trained to do for them. I am a weapon, nothing more,  just as your gun is your weapon. The sins of the deaths they order are on them,  except for the conscious choices I had to make during my contracts. Those are on my soul. My redemption lies with this trial,  with you. After I found out I had contracted Keprals I went freelance. I could now see and investigate the details. Chose which contracts I accepted. Before I came here, I sent a message to my contacts. I would not be open for more work. I will find other work, something that you would approve of." He approached her and she backed away from him as far as the tiny room would allow.  
  
"I- I have to go,  the doctor is waiting for me." She moved to go around him when he held out his arm to block her. "Please, Jane. Try to understand,  I know our ways are different than yours. All I ask is that you try. I care for you, I ... I never thought I would feel anything ever,  but you,  you have become my saving grace. My light."  
  
She looked into his eyes, several tears leaked from them as he opened his heart to her. She hesitated before lifting her hands to his face and brushing the tears away. Then she hurried out of the room,  she had told him earlier it was a last minute visit,  something the salarian doctor wanted to try.  
  
***  
  
Their relationship had been strained for the last month on top of increasing illness for the both of them. The facility had less than a quarter of what they had started with,  all of the couples were showing signs of great strain on both their bodies and their marriages. It had been 5 months already, with no one telling them if any progress had been made or not.  
  
It had taken Thane 2 weeks of Shepard refusing to share the bed before he had enough. She had insisted he take the bed as he was the one with the surgical cuts,  the shakes and fever so he needed his rest, hers were minor compared to his. One night he rose from their bed, picked her up, dropped her on it.  Holding her as tight as he could against him before telling her, "you are my wife. You will sleep in the bed with me. I will no longer tolerate you sleeping apart."  When she stopped struggling he leaned in and kissed her with all the pent up desire he had been holding in check for weeks.  
  
Rolling her to her back and covering her body with his own,  he moved her arms above her head and held them there with one hand. Weaker then he normally was, he hoped he was still strong enough for this, then used his other hand to tug her pants down past her hips. "Thane,  what are you doing? Stop it."  
  
"No, you are my wife. I have been lenient, tolerant, of you needing time to come to terms with my previous profession. I am still the same person you married. I am the same person you slept beside, safe in my arms for so many months. Now I will be once again inside you, claiming your body as mine,  as I give you my body in return. Maybe one day I can also lay claim to your heart as you have done to mine," his voice had gone from a harsh roughness to a gentle whisper as he held her there. Her eyes flew to his own at what he had just told her.  
  
His hand started to caress her bare hip, easing the fabric of her pants lower down her thighs. He gently let go of her wrists so he could pull off her pants then remove his own.  
  
Her hand touched him,  his face,  the ridges along his head and cheeks. The groan he voiced as she ran featherlight fingers along the ribbing,  was loud in the small room. She was very careful not to touch the myriad number of bandages and recently cut areas on his body. Medi-gel could only do so much and had to be used sparingly.  
  
He dropped his head to hers,  he found the soft plushness of her lips with his own as his hands explored her body. It had been so long since he touched his wife, so long since he made love to her. His determination to do this for them both, helped him to push through the pain in his chest.  
  
His fingers delved into her heat, her body once more becoming pliant under his hands. When he shifted to fully cover her, the pain hit him, he sucked in a breath and hissed before he could stop himself. "Thane? We need to stop,  you can't push yourself like this." When he regained his breath,  he once again shifted as if to lay over her."We will be together this night. Nothing will stop this."  
  
Shepard placed a hand on his shoulder, "wait." He looked down at her and rolled to his back as she was pushing on him to do. Straddling her husband,  she waited as he lined himself up to her, pulling her down on him gently. Then let out a low breathy groan as she took him fully inside of her. He moved his hands to her thighs,  up her waist and over her buttocks as she raised and lowered herself on his thick member. She was still so tight,  even after all the times they had made love, her body still gripped him,  still made him shudder at the feeling of her surrounding him.  
  
His hands continued to move over her body, her own breathy moans soon joined with his. He knew he wouldn't last, it had been too long and he had wanted this too much. He held her down on him, moved his hand to where they were joined,  then flicked and rubbed against the tiny nub at the apex of her thighs as she ground against him. Her body shaking and the liquid heat from her body was dripping down around him when she threw back her head and called his name. He let go and shouted her own as he released deep inside,  filling her.  
  
They were both panting,  his body was on fire from the pain in his chest. She went to lift off of him when he pulled her back down, "no, do not leave me." She stared into his face as he carefully maneuvered them to lay face to face on their small bed, his cock still deep inside of her,  she felt him pulse inside her again and shudder. He tucked her head into the crook of his neck and tried to calm his breathing, push through the pain to rest.  
  
They had just headed into month seven when they finally received news. They were ending the trial early as they had enough data to work with,  everyone would be contacted to see if they would be ready for the next step in a few weeks. They had made sure everyone was healed and no complications remained. Thane was feeling much better than he had for about a month, but he noticed Shepard was always pale and would be ill sometime or another during the day. She told him the one doctor warned her about nausea when he was running tests on her. The doctor told them that those tests were helping, whatever he was testing on her was working in the process of finding a cure.  
  
Shepard had been sleeping a bit more lately than she used to, the doctor she was seeing said it was normal and gave her some vitamins. Thane insisted she take another spa getaway, that she deserved to be pampered. What he didn't tell her was the facility had sent him a message,  they wanted to see him right away,  his test results came back and they were excited.  
  
When he arrived they had taken him into a room and showed him the promising results,  they wanted his permission to remove some of his lung tissue so they could begin to grow him a new set of lungs, he agreed and they set him up for surgery that day. He spent the next two days in bed waiting for his wife to come home.  He wanted to tell her,  but the doctors had cautioned him. This was preliminary,  and not to get his or his wife's hopes up just yet,  so he stayed quiet.  
  
A few weeks went by and Jane seemed to be feeling much better, they put it down to the medication the doctor was giving her. The doctors also sent him a message,  the cloning was going well,  they would know by the end of the week if they would be viable. They also requested he come in for a round of injections,  they had a formula that would impede the growth of the disease, so it wouldn't affect his other organs. If they were able to clone his lungs, and have them work in his body, then they could use the tissue to formulate a real cure. Severely impacted organs would need to be cloned and replaced however,  but those not affected could be given the means of never contracting it.  
  
He grew more excited as the days went by. Finally he received the call he was waiting on. His replacement lungs were working in the containment area,  now they were ready to test them inside his body. The warning he had received along with it was dire. This whole procedure was experimental on his species. Anything from becoming comatose to death was a possibility right along with it actually working.  
  
That night he spent making love to his wife, their cries filled the small apartment they had rented. He told her he loved her and she smiled at him, tears shining in her eyes as she kissed him passionately, they made love again before they collapsed and fell asleep.  
  
The next morning he woke early,  quietly going about getting ready, laying a small rose beside her on his pillow. After he reached the hospital he sent her a message telling her about the surgery,  once more telling her he loved her and if the worst came to pass he would be waiting for her on Kalahira's shores.  
  
His surgery started out well,  everything going smoothly, until they went to reverse his sedation. Thane didn't wake up,  he had fallen into a coma.  
  
*~*  
  
Thane's eyes snapped open, the night cycle was well under way when he came back from his fall into solipsism. He checked the time, Midnight.  
  
Thane activated his app that stopped the blades and dropped the coiled rope down into the vent,  swinging over the side, cautiously dropping down just enough for the magnets on his boots to grip the sides of the shaft, holding him steady. He removed the coil of rope and attached it to the underside of the fan where the blades didn't reach,  then used the rope to repel down the rest of the way.  
  
He reviewed his memory of the map and slowly made his way down to the fourth floor,  carefully easing around the vent openings so little to no noise was heard. This was what he was trained to do, this was what he was the best at. He disabled the sensors in the vents as he neared the apartment, the new apps not having any issues even with the level of tech that was there.  
  
He moved vent to vent, the rooms were dark and all was quiet, the kitchen held the largest vent opening, so after completely dismantling the sensor and trip wires he found on the vent cover, he used the magnetic tool to undo the fastener on the one side. Reaching his hand through the gap to collect the clip so it wouldn't fall to the floor. He removed the other fastener, holding onto the grate with one hand while he pulled it and the tool into the vent placing them to the side.  
  
He froze as he heard Urz let out a growl, "hush, Urz it is me." Thane said quietly as he dropped some meat down to the floor for the varren. He lowered himself down, landing soundlessly in the kitchen beside Urz,  giving him a quick pat on the head,  as the creature happily ate the expensive cuts of meat. He offered up a quick prayer to Amonkira then made his way to the far end of the apartment,  the layout had shown the largest of the two bedrooms to be there.  
  
His body moved fluidly with barely a whisper of sound through the hallway, one door was open,  the smallest amount of light reflecting off of stainless steel fixtures let him know it was a bathroom. That meant the door further down was the one he was after. He eased toward the door, it slid open with a soft swish. He quickly moved into the room, stepping into the shadows as he heard someone in the bed stir. "Urz... go lay down boy,  you were just out a while ago." Shepard turned over, adjusted the cover and let out a sigh. He watched as she put her arm over the body next to her and shifted closer.  
  
Thane eased out of the shadows, carefully taking the necessary steps to reach her nightstand where her gun would be,  his wife was a creature of habit. The drawer slid open soundlessly and he removed the Predator, dropping the heat sink from it into his palm.  Slipping it back into the drawer and closing it, before moving to the end of the bed. Step by step he moved, a dark shadow in a room of shadows until he got to the other side. He would remove this obstacle standing between him and his wife.  
  
He reached out and ripped back the covers, his hands going to where the throat of the male would be. Shepard let out a blood curdling scream and reached for the gun in her nightstand.  
  
Several things happened at once, Shepard realized her gun was useless, Thane realized what he was strangling was a body pillow his wife had been snuggled up against and that blood curdling scream was loud enough to wake the dead. He flung himself on the bed and covered her mouth, "where is he,  where is the male that you were with earlier?"  
  
Shepard struggled against him,  her arms and hands beating against him, her legs were trapped in the covers and she couldn't move. "Struggling is futile,  tell me where he is." Thane growled out as he held onto his wife,  as soon as he moved his hand for her to answer she started yelling so he slapped his hand back over her mouth again.  
  
"Stop it!  Get the hell away from my Mom, you bastard!" A shaky voice yelled from the doorway followed by a growl. Thane jerked,  his head swiveling toward the sound of a young male,  the grip he had on Shepard slackened and she screamed, "no,  run. RUN NOW!"  
  
She started hitting Thane harder as she seen the child turn and run from the door. She was able to hit him with the pistol hard enough that it dazed him and she pushed him over the opposite edge of the bed. Falling from her own side she scrambled up and ran as fast as she could toward the other hallway,  slamming painfully into the corner before rushing to the other doorway barely getting through it and sliding it shut,  locking it before she heard Thane slam into it.  
  
"Open this door, wife." Thane beat on the door again. Shepard reached for her arm to activate her omni tool then remembered it was laying on the dresser in her bedroom. She turned to her son, "your omni tool,  hurry, give it to me." He blinked at her then scrambled across his bed reaching for the omni tool when the door opened.  
  
The child froze at the sight of a green scaly male coming into the room,  blood dripping down the side of his face onto the black set of leather clothing.  
  
Thane shot a quick glance at the child then back to his wife,  Urz standing in front of her not sure if he should attack or not,  but letting out menacing growls all the same. "Where is he, wife? Where is the male you broke our marriage vows with, the one you fornicated with and let impregnate you with his child?" Thane's voice was cold,  the dual tones like ice, sending shivers down both the child and his mother's backs. Shepard moved into a fighting stance, she knew she had no hope of winning against him,  even injured he would best her,  her son didn't have a chance.  
  
"Get out, Thane. I won't let you hurt my child." Shepard moved her hand,  indicating her son should get behind her. Thane watched the child move off the bed and into the corner,  Urz backing up slowly to move over to stand in front of the boy. "I will not harm a child. It is not him I am hunting,  but the male, the one that had his arms about you earlier. Where is he wife?"  
  
"He is none of your business. I said get out, I mean it Thane."  
  
When he didn't move she launched herself at him, he grabbed her hand, slid to the side and hooked her leg with his own, twisting her arm toward her back and wrapped his other arm around her pulling her flush against him. Her backside was rubbing against his crotch and even now with her fighting him his body started to betray him,  growing hard. He tightened his grip holding her hips still,  she froze when she felt his erection. His voice low and gravely,  his lips close enough to her neck that the warmth of his breath was causing her to shiver and goosebumps to raise on her skin. "I have no wish to fight you,  Siha. Just answer my question. Where is the male? Where is the one you call, Aaron?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got it done a bit earlier then I was expecting. Hope it was worth the wait :)
> 
> Thank you to everyone that has read/ continues to read this story. Your comments and kudo's are very much appreciated.

* * *

 

 

Shepard started to struggle again, trying to get away from the assassin, the steel bands of his arms that were wrapped around her were immovable. "Siha,  why do you resist so? All you need to do is tell me where he is, then you can go to your ... son. I give you my word that I will not harm the child."  
  
"Your word means less then nothing to me,  someone that abandons their own wife isn't to be trusted. Leave us alone damn it." Shepard's voice cracked on her last words,  her eyes closing,  hating for her son to see this.  
  
"Why do you insist that I abandoned you? You were the one that failed to answer my messages,  my calls went unanswered. The connections for the chat program were never accepted. My emails were sent back to me as blocked, I sent ..." he paused then blinked his eyes. "I sent you...  3, 437 emails, called you 6, 749 times. I sent over ten thousand requests for chat,  all were denied. I stopped sending them two years ago. Then you were announced as dead and the Normandy destroyed. When that was broadcast, my heart shattered, I fell back into my battlesleep. Until the day you appeared in the Tower."  
  
He tightened his grip,  not bruising, but holding her against him. "I couldn't believe my eyes at first when you walked into the room. Your stance unmistakeable. Your voice,  even with the distortion on the helmet, was as I remembered. My wife,  back from Kalahira's shores. Brought back to me as I had prayed for,  for so very long. But something was wrong then as it is wrong now. We are married, yet you are with another male,  have a son that is of age to be almost a young man. Putting him to well before you died. How can you say my word means nothing, when it is yours that is meaningless."  
  
Sometime during his speech she had stopped struggling,  her eyebrows furled down and lines creased her forehead. "No, no you couldn't have sent me anything. Never once did I receive anything. You left that morning,  leaving only a rose. No messages,  calls or emails. No contact. Nor did you answer mine. I tried over and over again for years. Finally giving up as being abandoned. You had gotten what you wanted,  a cure was found for your people. You had no further use for me."  
  
He let out a growl and moved his arm out in front of them,  shook his wrist,  activating his omni tool. "Stand still,  do not move." He slowly let go of her with his other arm, ready to grab her again if she even made a twitch as if to run. He quickly navigated to a file and opened it. He showed her file after file,  years worth of saved mails, contact logs. He played saved voice messages that he had sent to her. Begging, pleading for her to contact him. To let him explain what had happened, why he was gone for the past year. She listened to many more of the files,  heard the gradual change in the tone of the messages. Going from pleading then to worry, finally to resignation of her not answering. Then he accessed the last voice message,  the date was the day that she had died.

* * *

  
  
_"Siha,  it has been so long. So many years have gone by, yet I still hold out hope that one day you will send me an answer. I do not know why you have left me all alone. That first year, I had no choice, I could not contact you. In the hope that maybe this one message will reach you,  will finally make you break the cold silence between us, I will tell you of what transpired. After I reached the hospital I sent you a message, I told you of the surgery. I planned to surprise you with the good news once the doctors were done,  once they assured me it had worked and we had a long life that could be lived together. Instead they had misjudged the sedatives effect on my damaged body. I fell into a coma,  one that had lasted for a little over a year. It was not something in my control. As soon as I was informed of what happened I started sending you message after message. None were answered. After seven years, with no answer from you,  this will be my last message. I still love you, Siha.  My warrior angel. My wife. Goodbye."_

 

* * *

  
  
"If I had even received a whisper from you, Jane,  I would have answered. Never once did a message come from you." His arms once more closed around her in gentleness this time, "for seven long years I had prayed. Prayed that you would answer,  prayed that you would tell me what I did to cause you to forsake me and our marriage." He rested his chin on her head, "when I heard you speaking to this Aaron person,  I couldn't stand it. You spoke of love to him. Yet, you never said you loved me. It gripped my heart and squeezed so tightly. You are my wife,  yet is another that hears those words from you. You willingly walk into another male's arms,  yet you barely give me a few words."  
  
"Thane,  I sent them for years, I never heard back nor did I get even a single one of those messages. What is going on here?" She hated being so confused and unsure about something. But all those messages, all those years. Gone. Just what the hell happened? More to the point,  who caused it to happen.  
  
She looked to her son, "it's alright. Go to my room,  get my omni tool and bring it back here please." Her son nodded then edged his way around the room,  his backside plastered to the wall. He visibly swallowed as he got near the strange looking male that was holding his mother. Once he got past him he took off running for the other bedroom,  Urz hot on his heels. As soon as the boy had gotten out the door, Thane had tightened his hold again, fingers splayed over as much of her body as he could touch.  His face buried into Jane's hair, he inhaled deeply, a low growl was heard. He let out a light sigh when he heard the boy and varren heading back.  
  
The child skidded to a halt outside of the door. Urz bumped into him causing him to stumble a bit before catching his balance. He inched his way closer,  never taking his eyes from those of the intruder, the one that kept saying his mom was married to him. He knew his dad left before he was even born. Mother had told him when he asked.  Explained the way things were.  She never lied to him,  never even told him a half truth. She asked only the same from him, even when he knew it would hurt her and get himself into trouble,  sometimes really big trouble,  he didn't lie.  
  
He held out the bracelet. When his mom took it from him, he scooted back to his corner,  Urz following him.  
  
That had been a surprise,  no one else he knew of had a varren for a pet. The Citadel didn't allow a lot of animals,  but with his mom being a Spectre... wow even after so many years that was just totally awesome to even think about, she got him a pet dog ... err,  varren.  
  
"Thane,  you need to let me go." Her voice held a hint of exasperation and confusion now, not fear. "No." Thanes' surly voice shot right back.  His face had turned into her hair,  inhaling again, before he said in a whisper, "I can not at the moment. The child does not need to see how much holding you has affected me physically."  
  
She had just placed the bracelet on her wrist when a loud commotion coming from the front room drew their attention. "Shepard! Answer me!" A loud turian's voice echoed in the apartment, the child perked up. "Uncle Garrus!  Uncle Garrus, my room,  hurry!" The boy yelled as loud as he could.  
  
They heard a set of armored feet running their way. "Garrus,  slow down. It's alright," Shepard called out,  almost shouting to be heard over the banging of the armor."Thane's here, but it's ok." She gave her son a reproachful look,  but didn't reprimand him for calling out in a panic.  He was scared and Garrus was big enough to make him feel more comfortable in this situation.  
  
Garrus came around the corner, a pistol in his hand. "Krios, let her go." The child had started to inch his way toward Garrus until he was in the doorway behind him. Thane had turned with Shepard still in his arms toward the turian.  
  
"Siha is in no danger with me,  nor is the child. I may be an assassin but I have never hurt a child, nor ever will. They are innocents." Thane said as he stroked Shepard's waist and arms, showing Garrus he wasn't holding Shepard against her will. "Garrus take my son to my room,  sit with him for a while. Thane and I need to talk,  then we may need to talk with you or Tali about something. A technical issue."  
  
She waited until Garrus backed out of the room, her son staying close behind the big turian,  then turned to Thane. She didn't get more then a single word out before he had her pinned to the wall,  his lips on hers and his tongue pushing his way into the dark, moist cavern of her mouth. He pinned her arms above her head with one of his hands while the other one lifted her leg,  wrapping it around him. When he pressed in on her,  his erection straining against the leather of his pants,  pushing against her heated center, he let out a soft groan.  
  
She pulled back as far as she could,  just enough to stop the kiss."Thane,  stop it. This is my child's room." His answer was a warning growl as he started kissing her again. His hips grinding against her, showing her how much he wanted her, needed her. When he slid his tongue and lips to the hollow of her throat, across to below her ear, she tried again to get him to stop.  
  
"Thane,  do not do this,  not in my son's room. We need to talk...",  she bit her lip to keep from groaning as he sucked at the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met, "we need to figure out what happened. Please."  
  
She felt him flex his hand around her wrists,  slowly loosening his hold on them. Lifting his head he stared into her eyes, "you will not deny me any longer. After we speak, the child returns to this room and we retire to the other bedroom. I will strip the clothing from your body as well as mine and then I shall bury myself into that scorching heat of yours. I will take you over and over,  filling you. Making you cry out my name as you reach your orgasm. No other male will ever know the feeling of your body convulsing around his as you come. None other. Ever again. You are mine,  my wife. In the morning,  you will tell me where to find the man who fathered that child. The one who felt he could have you when you were married. You shall receive a punishment of a different variety." His hand tightened on her thigh.  
  
"The loving,  gentle man who fathered him is gone." Shepard pulled her hands from his and gave him a push to move him back from her. "He didn't know he had a son. There was no contact between him and I, nor my child and his father. I am more concerned with a possible breach of security with the messages." He stared into her eyes,  not sure if she was lying to protect the male or if she was being truthful with him. If he was gone then who was that male from earlier?  
  
She led Thane to the bathroom and pulled out a washcloth,  carefully cleaning the cut he had on his head. It reopened and fresh blood spilled, she quickly applied a medi-gel swab to the area, wiping him clean. There was nothing she could do about the dried blood caked on his leather coat. "Will you agree to sit and speak,  not to threaten or coerce me into giving more information? I believe you when you said you tried to contact me,  you have shown me proof. But I swear to you,  I never received even one of those messages. Apparently you never received mine as well. We need to figure this out before things go further." She rubbed her forehead,  a stress headache forming. She had to protect her son, had to keep him and those around him safe. Even from Thane.  
  
"I said we shall speak and we shall. I want answers." Thane stood up,  his toned,  lithe body crowding against hers in the small room.

* * *

  
  
Thane sat at the bar in the kitchen while Shepard made tea, she had called out to Garrus that everything was alright,  he could go back to his own hotel room. Garrus, followed by the boy and varren, wandered down the hall towards the kid's room, stopping to make sure her son knew she was alright,  that the stranger wouldn't hurt them. Things would be explained in the morning. He asked if Urz could sleep in his room, after getting his mother's permission and a little help from Garrus,  dragged the varren's bed into his room for the night. "Don't let Urz on your bed. I mean it." Shepard yelled out.  A warbling,  "aww, ok. Sorry boy you heard her, " was heard coming from the end of the hall before the door shut. For the first time since they had moved into the apartment,  the lock on the child's door engaged of his own doing.  
  
"Shepard,  are you sure it's alright for me to go?" Garrus looked at Thane,  his arms crossed over his chest,  a low warning growl must have come from him as a louder one from Thane was heard as the assassin raised a brow ridge and stared back at him. "Yeah, we'll be fine. But I'll contact you in the morning,  there seems to have been a breach in the security of my old mail accounts and chat apps. For some reason none of the messages sent to or received from Thane made it to my old omni tool. Get with Tali and try to come up with a way to tap into my old account."  
  
"Hmm, only Krios? You seemed to get all the ones the crew sent, along with Alliance and those random spam mails just fine." Garrus's flanging voice held a tinge of skepticism." Yeah, Garrus,  I know. It also concerns ones from even before the whole mess with Saren. Years before. We are talking 7 years of missed mails,  messages and other things coming from a single account,  while everything else was just fine."  
  
"That takes a lot of doing, Shepard. They would have to monitor those accounts,  look for any new ones that you may have made,  along with back tracing files sent from his omni tool in case he did the same thing. This isn't something that one person that just wanted to snoop would be able to do. Especially for that long a period of time. The messages from him now are working?" Garrus rubbed his fringe, wondering just what was going on.  
  
"He called me earlier, so that part is working,  but this is a different tool and account. Maybe whoever messed with the old ones can't get the info from this one or hasn't gotten it yet?" She shrugged.  
  
"We also bought you that new omni chip when we were here the first time. So things changed up almost immediately. I'll get on it in the morning,  after I calm down Tali. Apparently she was distraught,  got drunk and finally told me about the conversation she had with Thane earlier. I figured out where he was and came as fast as I could."  
  
Shepard looked toward Thane, "what conversation?"  
  
"To find what hotel you were staying in,  funnily enough for the two of you sharing a room,  you seemed to not know which hotel you were in as both of you gave different ones. I just so happen to see you here,  and what do you think I did? You lied to me,  again. You have your friends lying as well." She looked away from him,  her head slightly lowered. "I had to protect my son."  
  
Garrus heard a low hum of what he could have sworn was sadness from the drell, maybe she had gone a bit to far in protecting the boy. She should have know Krios would track her down,  and now the boy was scared shitless of the drell. It was going to take some major work and time to fix that issue now. But first they needed to figure out what the hell was going on for the past 7...9 years,  if you count the time she had been dead.  
  
"Krios, you had to have heard about Shepard and the Normandy here on the Citadel when we were after Saren,  why didn't you come here?" Garrus asked the drell,  Shepard's head came up and looked at Thane.  
  
"I did. As soon as I saw the broadcast,  I finished the job I had taken. Left immediately to come here. The Normandy had already left for parts unknown,  shall we say, since the Alliance would not tell me or help me get into contact with my wife. I went to the Alliance headquarters here on the Citadel,  they told me to speak with the Ambassador, I went to the Embassy. Spent almost a week trying to get an appointment. Only to be told the mission was classified. After showing them our marriage license they repeated it was classified and there was no record of our marriage in their system." He looked at her, seen her face had what seemed to be an expression of shock."I had assumed,  at that time,  you had obtained a divorce,  as your people seemed to have a habit of doing. Although it was not valid for the drell society nor recognized by the Hanar Illuminated Primacy. I appealed to my Ambassador he said he would look into it. He too was told all information concerning Commander ...Shepard and the mission was classified."  
  
She shook her head, "my records retained the surname Shepard. That was advised to me by the Alliance committee once I returned to active duty. They told me it would make it less likely to interfere with the records processing. But I did not obtain a divorce, I am not completely stupid you know,  I may not be a drell but I do remember our conversations when this whole thing started."  
  
Garrus,  looked between them then let out a huff of air, his mandibles flickered. "I hate to break it to you both. But I get the feeling it is the Alliance behind this whole mess. Or at least part of it anyway. Listen, I'm heading out. You guys need to sit and talk. If you are still really married,  well, there is a kid in there that is going to need some serious questions answered from you Shepard."  
  
Garrus left a few minutes later as Thane and Shepard remained watching each other silently. "I will tell you what transpired after I woke up, you in turn will tell me what happened after I left that morning. Then we shall discuss this child." Thane stood from the bar stool that he was sitting on,  stared at her with those unfathomable black eyes of his, so dark that she couldn't even make out the deep green of his irises in this lighting.  
  
Shepard chewed her lip then tipped her head toward the living room,  he followed after her.  
  
***~* Thane's PoV flashback *~***  
  
He opened his eyes, feeling the dryness to them, heard the beeping of the machines. His memory came back, the operation to replace his lungs. To facilitate the cure. He took in a deeper breath then normal, no pain, no coughing or wheezing. He did it,  it worked.  
  
Several salarians hurried into the room,  all of them talking at once and checking the machines,  running scans on him.  
  
"Welcome back, Sere Krios." The one said to him, "we will need to run some tests,  now that you are awake. Then we can share with you the news."  
  
***  
  
A different doctor came in, gave him the results. The cure had worked for him and for others. It was eradicated from his system. Thane blinked at him and gave him a smile, then a slight frown. "I have a question. This was a major surgery, yet my body is healed, with very little scaring. Please explain."  
  
The salarian blinked, "no one has told you?" At Thanes negative reply the doctor took a deep breath, "I see. There was a complication during your surgery. A misjudgment of sedatives. You fell into a coma and have been unconscious for a year."  
  
"A year? My wife,  where is my wife? Why hasn't she come to see me?" Thane's voice was calm,  but inside he was panicking. A year? What did Jane think about this,  he didn't receive a reply from her before they took him in for surgery and they wouldn't give him his omni tool until he had spoken with the doctor.  
  
"Sere Krios, we have sent numerous requests to her over the past year. Advising of your progress. As with the ones we sent when you lapsed into the coma,  none have been returned. She hasn't contacted us, nor has she been to see you."  
  
Thane couldn't believe what he was hearing, "give me my omni tool please. I must contact her immediately."  
  
***  
  
Calls,  email,  messages and chat requests were sent. He went to their apartment after being released to find out it was no longer their apartment. Several weeks after he went in for the surgery she left. The apartment manager did pull up a message that had been left, detailing where his personal items were stored along with the access code for them.  
  
After checking into a hotel he gathered his belongings,  sent more messages,  then went to the Alliance headquarters on the Citadel.  
  
"Sorry sir, I can't not give out any information. You must file the appropriate paperwork, submit proof of relationship,  then someone will get back to you." The bored sounding soldier sitting at the desk informed him then gave him the digital forms to fill out.  
  
Weeks went by,  then months with no word. He would go to the Alliance HQ daily, with the same male giving the same speech. After a while the visits were cut down to once per week,  then once per month. With no news, he reactivated his status and left the Citadel,  going back to work. The messages were sent month after month,  year after year with nothing coming back.  
  
"This is ANN news, we are proud and honored to announce the first Human Spectre has just been named. None other then Commander Shepard, hero of the Skyllian Blitz,  one of the Alliances shining N7 stars...." Thane blocked out the rest of the news, his full attention focused on the vid form of his wife, standing before the Council and being accepted as a Spectre. Her back straight,  her face held a harshness that hadn't been there before,  along with scars that were not there when they were married. He immediately sent her more messages. Finished his latest contract then boarded the first available transport to the Citadel hoping that his wife would still be on the station when he arrived.  
  
***  
  
He spent weeks haunting the Alliance HQ then the Hanar Embassy to get information. He was told there wasn't a record of their marriage. They wouldn't even take the document he had as proof. He waited and waited for news of the Normandy to come back to dock. Turning down several well paying contracts so he wouldn't have to leave the Citadel in case his wife showed up.  
  
He let out a sigh. She must have gotten the divorce.  Legal for her, meaningless for him, he was drell and it wouldn't be recognized in their culture. She was still his wife. He sent her one more message then left the Citadel,  he had just received the most lucrative contract yet. He finished getting the supplies he needed and then transferred the remainder into the account he had set up for her so long ago. He promised he would provide for her,  it was his duty as husband. Even though she seemed to have forgotten about him and their marriage.  
  
A week later the news came, the geth and Saren attacked the Citadel. Commander Shepard was the stopping force, his wife had kept the rogue Spectre from taking over the Citadel and doing the God's only know what with it. He headed back one more time, trying to find his wife. By the time he had made it back, the rumors he heard around the Citadel tower was that the Council had sent her after the remaining pockets of geth. She was gone ... again. He stayed for a while helping with clean up.  
  
Several more messages were sent before he finally admitted defeat, the greatest assassin in the galaxy, defeated by the cold silence of his wife. Just one more message,  he thought,  just one to explain.  
  
***  
  
"It is with great sadness that we announce the destruction of the Alliance Frigate,  Normandy. Reports have indicated that most of the crew had escaped, with 20 crew members listed as missing or killed in action. It is with greatest regret that we announce its Captain,  Commander Shepard was also killed in the attack. As you may remember ..."  
  
Thane stopped listening,  he heard the glass he was holding shatter on the floor from where his nerveless hands had just dropped it. It was the same sound his heart had just made. His wife,  his siha... was dead.  
  
***~***  
  
Shepard closed her eyes,  fighting the welling up of her tears. She honestly didn't know anything about that, there was just nothing. No messages from any of the doctors nor from him. Nothing. She looked over at him from where he was sitting in the matching chair across from hers. His eyes steady on her face. Watching her and now waiting for her to explain her side of it.  
  
She swallowed,  nervousness making her throat constrict and her stomach to cramp up. She cleared her throat and began.  
  
  
***~* Shepard's POV flashback *~***  
  
Before opening her eyes she reached out to Thane's side of the bed,  last night had been amazing. In turns gentle and loving or wild and frenzied. He had taken her over and over,  her body still feeling the effects. When she encountered cold sheets she opened her eyes, spying the perfect red rose on his pillow. She giggled,  something she hadn't done in a long time, and lifted the rose to her nose inhaling the spicy sweet scent of the flower.  
  
When she went to rise from the bed she was hit with the same nauseous feeling she had been for the last month, rushing to the bathroom,  barely making it before she began to dry heave into the toilet. The one doctor from the trials had warned her she may feel this way after she began the latest rounds of treatment. At first it was not so bad, she was feeling only a bit tired and would vomit sometimes. Then when she was examined he had changed the treatment,  told her it needed modified but seemed to be working. Just a few more weeks and then a new test would need to be done. After taking the vitamins he gave her,  she had started to feel better. This past week the nausea returned, she hid it from Thane as best she could,  he would always worry about her when they had still been in the lab and she didn't want him to worry now that they were home.  
  
After cleaning up she checked her omni tool,  there was only one new message from the Alliance Headquarters reminding her of her appointment for evaluation later that day. Her years medical leave was almost up and along with it the need for counselling on the Skyllian Blitz incident. Between the physical and mental exhaustion she had suffered during that time she held out against all those batarians, with only a handful of able bodied civilians and a few Alliance personnel that hadn't been killed by the enemies initial assault and the constant nagging from the councilors she was more then ready to have that mess over and done with. She wanted to get back to work. She just hoped being away from Thane for weeks or months at a time wouldn't be too difficult for either of them. She made a mental note to make sure he had been added to the approved list for secure transmissions to and from her next assigned ship while she was at the HQ.  
  
She sent him a quick message letting him know she was leaving the apartment and would be back later that day,  just in case he made it home before she did from wherever he had gone to that morning.  
  
She was shown into the same room she always was when she had to come in for these sessions. It was still cold and sterile looking,  she thought it was more suited to a surgeons office then one for a psychological councilor.  
  
"Lieutenant,  please sit down. I have some news that I am pretty sure you will like. This will be our last session, I will file my final report to the Brass in the next few days." The older male doctor told her, his face still as impassive as ever. The blue eyes that seemed to see into her innermost thoughts settled on her face and a very slight frown came over his face. "Is there something wrong? You seem paler then normal."  
  
"No sir,  everything is fine. Just woke up feeling a bit ill this morning, a side effect from the medication the one doctor is giving me. No offense sir,  but after almost a year of these meetings I will be so glad to leave and not come here again." A slight twitch of his lips was the only indication that he found it amusing. "This is one of the doctors from the Kepral trials? It is noted in your medical file you underwent some procedures to help find a cure." He noted it in the file as he spoke to her.  
  
"Yes,  sir. I am to go see him in another weeks time. That should hopefully be the last time to see him as the trial is now over and we are just waiting for the results now." She watched him type out a few more notes, shifting a bit anxiously in her seat but trying to remain calm, hoping that whatever it was he was writing was favorable and not something to go against her resuming her full duties.  
  
"This new husband of yours, I take it he is drell? That was why you underwent these trials? He fully understands and is fine with you going back to active duty?" He looked up at her, his eyes snaring and holding her own in their gaze. "Yes, sir. We have an apartment here and he has let his previous employer's know that he will be staying on the Citadel,  not returning to Kahje. After hearing the results he will use his contacts here to find a new job. No worries there, sir, and we have spoken already about my service career. He supports it."  
  
The doctor made a few more typing motions and asked her some more questions on her marriage. Along with the usual questions about her time on Elysium, if she was having any nightmares. Shepard answered those questions as she usually did. "All right,  Lieutenant, that will be all. Bear in mind that if you feel you need another session to sent in the request. It is not unusual to have uncomfortable flashbacks even years later of an event on the scale of the Blitz. You are dismissed."  
  
She stood and saluted, "yes, sir. Thank you sir, for everything."  
  
She waited until she reached the elevator before sending Thane another message,  ecstatically relating that it had been her last session and it looked like she was going to be reinstated soon.  She was however growing concerned that he hadn't answered her earlier message. It was unusual for him not to.  
  
The elevator reached the floor she had pushed the button for and she exited. She spoke to the person in personnel to make sure her records were updated properly and then headed to see Commander Anderson. He had sent in a request to see her when she was at HQ.  
  
"Go on ahead inside Lieutenant,  the Commander is waiting." The ensign that was assigned to be this months secretary told her as she entered the room after saluting Shepard.  
  
"Lieutenant Shepard,  please have a seat." Anderson waited until after she had sat down in the most uncomfortable chair he ever laid eyes on and had been trying to get rid of for the last 4 months that he had been stationed here on the Citadel. "I'll get right to the point, Lieutenant. After your amazing efforts during the Skyllian Blitz,  your name was put forth for the coveted Interplanetary Combatives Training program. Your acceptance just came in. Once you are officially declared ready for active duty you can begin the program. This is a most sought after training program, one that only a handful ever are accepted. I won't lie to you,  the program is grueling and not everyone makes it. It is also fairly long. The entire program takes 5 years of the most intense training you have ever encountered. If you graduate you receive the N7 designation and all the responsibilities and honor that goes with it."  
  
Shepard stared at him,  her mouth open in astonishment. Her? An N7 candidate? She didn't know whether to jump and scream her excitement out or vomit on his desk. The news made her insides twist up even more. She settled for giving him a big smile, and accepting the offer. She couldn't wait to get home and tell Thane the news.  
  
"You realize, Shepard,  that the first year of training is on Earth. There is no shore leave like on the other assignments. You get some downtime but your main focus is on the program. After that first year then either you are invited to continue or are assigned back to regular duty. There is no shame in failing that first year,  even getting accepted into the program is an outstanding honor for a soldier."  
  
Some of her excitement dimmed at the news of an entire year on Earth and not being able to come to the Citadel. A year away from her husband...she had to think about this a bit.  
  
"Sir,  you know I was just recently married. I understand about not leaving Earth for that time,  but what about communications at least. Secure vid calls? Maybe have him come to Earth for a couple of the downtimes?" She sat back in her chair rubbing at her temples where a headache was starting to form, her stomach was also killing her and she hoped she didn't get sick in front of the Commander.  
  
"I don't see why he wouldn't be able to come when you are given the downtime,  know that everything is classified,  you can't discuss anything that goes on in the program with him. Why don't you go home and talk with him, see what he says then get back to me within a solar day. "He stood up clearly dismissing her, "yes,  sir and thank you, sir." She practically ran from the room, just making it to the ladies facilities before vomiting the remains of her breakfast.  
  
Another message to Thane was sent, still no answers though. She started to worry. Then sent a message to the doctor letting him know the nausea had returned. She was told to come in at the start of the week, for the last of the tests. After that the test and medications will be over, the results added in with those from the other trial patients.  
  
Shepard stayed up all night,  waiting for Thane to come home,  for him to answer her messages. Something ... anything from him. Nothing ever was heard. The next day she went to C-Sec and filed a report. They said they would investigate, took her information and detailed report then she left. The end of the week came, a C-Sec officer showed up at her door telling her that it was a dead end. There was no record of him leaving the station,  no record of him anywhere in fact and his omni tool was not able to be traced. It was either turned off or broken. They had no choice but to move the file into the unsolved cases.  
  
Shepard spent another night alone and crying her eyes out. She was sure either he left her or he was dead. After the latest round of tears another thought came,  he took a job and didn't want her to know. He left using a fake ID... maybe. She notified Anderson explaining what is going on and asked for a bit more time. He agreed and gave her the rest of the week.  
  
She entered the doctor's office the next morning. It was in one of the lesser traveled areas of the ward. So many people coming and going. She was shown into the exam room, "Mrs. Krios, let me first take a quick examination. Then blood work to make sure everything is fine. After that we can discuss the nausea. Should dissipate after stopping the treatment." The salarian turned and read the data that was flowing across the screen at a rapid rate. A grin came across his face. "Yes, yes. Finally the results I was looking for. Perfect. Can stop the medications now. Must warn you. You will cramp and feel very ill the next few days. Do not be alarmed if female reproductive cycle begins. Hormonal treatments can affect that in humans. Very good,  very good indeed."  
  
***  
  
Shepard continued to send messages over the next week. She was hit hard by cramps but no spotting and after drinking a tea that was recommended by an asari friend of hers the cramping stopped. She accepted the invitation to the ICT program. She would need a physical exam by the Alliance doctors then she would go to Earth. She sent more messages,  all of which were never answered.  
  
***  
  
"Ahh, Lieutenant Shepard,  it is good to see you again and looking well." Doctor Chakwas grinned at her friend, she was one of the only Alliance personnel that had made it out of the Skyllian Blitz alive and relatively unharmed. "Hey doc,  glad to see it's you that's going to give me my exam." They spoke for a few more minutes while Shepard got ready and laid on the medical table. The doctor did a routine scan and frowned.  
  
"Shepard,  there is something I must ask. It is a delicate question. According to your records you are married. Correct?" She seen Shepard nod, "and it says your husband is drell, is that right as well?" Another nod. "Hmm. Sit up please." The doctor waited for her to sit up and drape her legs over the side.  
  
"I must ask you, have you at any time in the last 2 months had sexual intercourse with a human male?"  
  
"What,  hell no Doc. I'm married and trust me, my husband more then satisfied my needs in the department ... although,  he seems to have disappeared without a trace a few weeks ago. Why?"  
  
Chakwas looked at the screen again then back to her. "There is no easy way to say this. Shepard, you're pregnant. About 2 months." Shepard's jaw dropped."No doc,  something is wrong with that equipment. There is no way. I'm human,  my husband is not. Two months ago we were at that facility for those Kepral's trials. And we have been married 9 months. If I had gotten pregnant before then I would have already known,  in more ways then one."  
  
Chakwas turned the screen around so Shepard could see it and pointed out what looked like a small mass of something in the area where her womb was. "You are pregnant Shepard,  the scanner was run multiple times with the same results. I will need to take your blood to test for verification. I'll run it myself, right here in this lab right now. Then we'll go from there." She had Shepard lay back down when she became pale and started to wobble on the table.  
  
***  
  
"Shepard,  the tests came back positive. I'll need to do some more testing to find out how this could have happened. It should not have been biologically viable. Yet it seems to have happened. There is some slight damage to your uterine wall, these are most commonly seen in patients who have miscarried or almost miscarried a child."  
  
Shepard paled, "doc, the cramps. After I went to see the salarian doctor from the trials he warned me that cramping could happen once off those medications." Chakwas frowned at her,  "what medications? There is no record of you taking any medications past the intial trial stages. Once released from them you were give a clear chart and nothing was noted there."  
  
"I don't know what they were exactly,  he said they were vitamins and treatments that would help in the trial. I got really sick a few days later,  really horrid pains and cramps. T'Liase gave me some tea and it calmed it down within an hour or so."  
  
"Hmm,  that tea probably saved your child's life. It was probably one of their blends for troubled pregnancies." Chakwas noted her file on all the information. "I need to run a few more tests. It shows you are going into the N7 program. You should be safe for the next few months. You will need to be careful though. I will give you a medical release and prescription vitamins to take." She looked down at Shepard and took her hand in her own. "This is new territory, Shepard. I will do everything I can to help you."  
  
***  
  
Shepard walked home in a daze instead of taking a skycar. She sent message after message that entire night.  At the end of the month she was heading to Earth to start the program. Surely he would answer her now that she was pregnant,  he was going to be a father, a biological miracle had happened. But nothing was ever received.  
  
***  
  
Her training was indeed grueling,  not just because she was a female,  but because on top of that she was pregnant. Specialized gear was given to her to protect her abdomen from sparring blows and war games. Most of the other candidates didn't care, they knew she was pregnant and after that first week of seeing her kicking ass,  they acted as if she was just another regular candidate. She had trouble with a few of them, she either ignored them or when they tried to pull a stunt with attacking her right at what they considered her weak spot,  her abdomen, she unleashed hell upon them. After several times of this happening, the instructor stopped the sparring combat, "by now you morons should know a female will fight harder and be more ferocious when they are guarding their young. That baby she is carrying is not her weak spot,  but attacking there brings out a Mother's natural instinct to protect. It makes her stronger."  
  
She was entering her second trimester when she got a message from Chakwas, she was on the way to Earth. She needed to run some tests,  check the baby and update her. Shepard still hadn't heard from Thane and would send in requests to C-Sec every few weeks with the same response. Nothing new on the case.  
  
"Good morning, Shepard. Let's take a look, shall we?" Chakwas said to her,  then started to run the tests, the scans and a quite a lot of other things as well. That evening she was called back to the medical clinic.  
  
"The baby is looking fine,  growing at the rate of a normal human and not a drell. Which I may know the reason for. Shepard, this baby... this baby is actually a clone of you,  with just a bit of drell dna coding. Similar to an asari conception. This was done intentionally, Shepard. It was not conceived in the natural way. You were used as a guinea pig for experimentation. I am assuming it was that salarian doctor you mentioned to me that did this to you for some reason. The initial blood work showed signs of a drug cocktail that contained medicines known to act as anti rejection compounds given to new transplant patients, but also growth hormones and others as well. If everything goes well, in the next 2 months we can do more genetic testing, to be honest with you Shepard, I would feel uneasy about doing any modifications to the child to fix any genetic defects unless we are absolutely sure of the results."  
  
***  
  
The end of her second trimester fast approached,  her stomach had started to really swell as the baby started to rapidly grow. Thankfully the next few months were basically classroom. More in depth knowledge of species, how to kill them. Political bullshit when dealing with them in a non combat situation. Then there was the training for explosives, every known weapon the Alliance made,  and some they didn't. The physical part was changed up for her, still grueling,  still pushing her to her limits though.  
  
***  
  
"Shepard, the genetic results just came back. Everything looks good,  the child will be normal and healthy, physically. Mentally we won't know until after the child is born. Now, I have another question. Would you like to know the gender?"  
  
Shepard rubbed her swollen belly,  thanking whatever Gods were listening that the baby seemed healthy even with everything going on now and what happened when he was "conceived". "Yeah,  doc,  I would."  
  
Chakwas smiled gently, "congratulations, Lieutenant,  you are the mother of baby boy." Her grin widened when Shepard let out a squeal. A son, her and Thane had a son.  
  
***  
  
Still no answer,  no news. No matter how many emails,  text messages she had sent. Nothing from him ever came back. She wanted to wait until he contacted her before telling him about his child. She wanted to tell him face to face. But he never responded. The last month had her wishing he was there,  so she could kill him. The pains in her back and legs grew more everyday,  she was having a hard time staying awake during class. Physical training now consisted of slow walks around the running track or on the treadmill.  
  
She woke to the most excruciating pains ever. Her abdomen hard as a rock, the muscles tight. She hit the panic button on her omni tool,  within minutes the medical team arrived at the barracks. They told her the doctor was already in the delivery room waiting for her. Fifteen hours later, a small, beautifully formed baby boy lay in her arms.  
  
***~***  
  
She looked over at Thane who was sitting motionless on the chair opposite her,  he hadn't moved or spoken the entire time she was retelling the story. She wasn't sure if he heard her or had fallen into memories of his own, until he blinked and let out a hiss.  
  
"Do you think I am a fool? Do you honestly believe that I would fall for such a tale?" He stood up,  his body ridged with anger. His hands clenched at his sides. He took the couple of steps to her and leaned over her, his hands now clutching the arms of the chair. "Enough with your lies. It is a biological impossibility that the boy is mine. I have had enough. Tell me where that child's father is. The man who had wrapped you in an embrace earlier today. Tell me, siha. Tell me so I can deal swift punishment to them and return to deal out your own. Yours however will last far longer. I will take you in every way imaginable until those men are eradicated from your memory. Only the feeling of my body possessing yours will remain, etched deeply into your mind."

She closed her eyes, then placed a call to Doctor Chakwas,  even though it was so early, not much past 4 in the morning. The doctor answered immediately, took one look at Shepard's face then said to her,  "sending the file now, Shepard."  
  
Thane's omni tool pinged and he opened the message, quickly scanning the files. The reports,  the myriad number of tests and their results. His body started to lose its rigidity and by the end of the long file he had collapsed back into his chair.  
  
"By Arashu, I really am his father." His voice quiet and shaky. His whole body was vibrating,  the hums coming from him were loud in the now silent room.

 


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

 

 

He sat there alternating between staring at his wife and looking at the files on his omni tool. "But how? Why?"  
  
"The how is not so simple to explain. Apparently when he was working with us in the trials,  he had free access to both our DNA. There were times when we both had to be unconscious for the tests, we were both cut numerous times and bits and pieces of us were taken to run experiments on. When those failed to,  perform in the way the doctor was hoping for, he did something drastic. He used my tissue to create a sort of clone."  
  
She sighed, shifting in her chair. "You have to understand, Thane. At the time this happened we were under the assumption that this was done purely in the lab. Mixing of our DNA is what led to the cure for your people. It was the human and drell combination that held the answer. There was something in the asari DNA that overrode the drell's turning it from drell to asari which wasn't what they were looking for. Anyway, later we found out differently. It wasn't in the lab that our child was created,  but in our bed. If you recall, I had to go back to that same doctor when we first got home, I came back with a new medication and not feeling well."  
  
"Yes, I remember. You were ill for several days. You told me the doctor had warned of that so we thought nothing of it." His hands were lax on the arms of the chair and she now noticed his eyes straying toward the hall where their son's bedroom was located.  
  
"Well, since the time that Doctor Chakwas had initially told me what was going on with the child growing inside of me,  there were many things that had happened. The first being that the doctor that had done this was to undergo investigation. He couldn't be found. The credentials he had given to the medical group for those trials were forged. Well done forgeries at that." She heard a deep growling noise coming from Thane as his hands began gripping the chair,  his eyes swung back to hers. "That salarian was not a doctor? He was doing this to us,  to you, without a doctors training." He rose from the chair, pacing the small area in front of the set of chairs like one of those caged lions on the old Earth animal documentaries that her son liked to watch.  
  
"I didn't say that. He was a doctor,  just not who he said he was." She leaned her head back against the chair,  closing her eyes. "During one of the trips to see him he had implanted me with a ... well,  I guess you can call it,  an egg on a timer. Genetically it was almost complete,  it just needed a bit of... input from you. It absorbed some of your DNA to fill in the blanks. The medications and the work done in the lab made it possible,  I suppose. Since we never used protection, being as we knew we couldn't conceive, there was no impediment to the combining. Neither one of us knew about this. When I found out,  well,  you were gone or dead and my son was almost 6 years old by then."  
  
Thane stopped in front of several framed holos on the wall,  mostly of his wife and son. A few with people he recognized, Garrus and Tali,  the pilot Joker along with Doctor Chakwas. His heart clenched when he seen the unknown male holding a baby,  his son, smiling at the camera. It should have been him in that holo. He had missed so many years of his son's life. Why was he kept from his child? Who stole all those years from them to be a family?  
  
"What does the child know about his father? What is his name? Who is this human male?" His rapid fire questions went unanswered and he turned from the holos. His wife was in the chair, her head resting on the back and her eyes closed. Her breathing indicated she had fallen asleep. He let out a sigh,  he had know she was exhausted,  she rarely slept on board. Then being woke up in the middle of the night, attacked and under the amount of stress he caused her must have made her even more exhausted.  
  
Arashu,  a son... one he has scared half to death. One that is now so frightened of him that he wasn't sure if they even had a chance of being a family. What made it worse was they were on a suicide mission, how could she have taken this on? How can he possibly reconcile the possibility of losing her again and possibly never seeing his son again? He closed his eyes as he stood there. It was simple really, Cerberus, they had brought her back, by all accounts they were the only ones doing something about the missing colonies. There was no way his wife couldn't have done something about it.  
  
His eyes opened and he went back to looking at the wall with the holos. His son smiling as he held a model ship in his hands, Garrus on one side of him, Shepard on the other. He noticed a few things that were different about the boy, things that must have come from his drell heritage. He looked mostly human,  but his build was slightly different. The trunk of his body was longer, his ribcage set up higher if what he could see from the outline in the baggy shirt was indeed not a photographic illusion. His fingers were longer, though he had 5 and not 4, as Thane did. But it was the child's eyes that caught and held his attention the longest. They were green,  a deep emerald ringed with black. Larger then most humans. They were his eyes,  the same deep green, just on the white of the human sclera instead of black like his own.  
  
He turned to his wife, as gently as he could, picked her up from the chair then carried her to bed so she could sleep better. She mumbled and nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck just like she always used to do after she had fallen asleep. How he had missed that. After she slept then he could get more answers from her.  
  


* * *

  
  
She was having the most delicious dream. Thane had just come home, his eyes shown with a hunger for her. He didn't even wait until they made it to the bedroom before stripping her of clothing,  his mouth and hands roaming her body. Those cool scales, slightly roughened from his work, sliding over her sensitive body. Bringing her nipples peaking and a burn to the apex of her thighs. That place on her body that burned just for him, grew damp and so very needy for him. Wanting to feel him touching her,  filling her with his hardness.  
  
She let out a moan as she felt his tongue licking a path between her breasts, across one and fastening his lips on her hard nipple,  giving it a gentle tug before running his tongue across it. She gasped and arched her back as she felt his fingers sliding over her stomach, around to her hip,  softly caressing her thigh before teasing the tiny patch of hair she had right above her slit. Her legs shift open at his light touch. A deft,  featherlight touch ran down her center causing her to shudder. One light stroke,  then another before the very tip of his finger dipped inside her,  spreading her moist heat.  
  
She sighed as he kissed his way down her body, gentle barely felt brushing of his lips. Her body tensed as he exhaled a warm caress against her center, her hips tilting toward him,  needing his mouth upon her. "Thane,  please." She groaned out in her dream, her hand reaching down to run across the ridge on the crown of his head.  
  
She gasped as the first light lick he made on her,  his hot tongue swiping up the side of her parted petals. The next licked up the other side before the very tip touched her little nub of pleasure. She heard a light chuckle coming from him, another quick lick followed by a puff of warm air. Her eyes flew open as she felt his tongue stab deep inside her, his hold tightened on her so she couldn't get away from the wonderful things his mouth was doing to her. Those black fathomless eyes of his was staring at her face as his tongue licked and teased her. "No, no don't do this to me. Don't do this." She hissed at him, her body betraying her as the shaking of her muscles started,  her abdominal muscles tightened as her body drew closer to a climax. His eyes remained on her as his tongue brought her to a swift climax, her body stiffened and jerked against his mouth as her walls gripped his tongue tightly.  
  
He gentled his ministrations, until her body relaxed back on the bed. "It was my name you called out as my tongue touched you,  as my finger caressed your center. That fiery,  moistness coating my finger. You are mine, your body knows it and responds to me as it always had. I told you I will be denied no longer. You are my wife and it has been so very long since we have shared our bodies together." The grip he had on her thighs remained firm even as he pushed them open wider. Her biotics flared over her. "No. I don't want this. I will not just submit to you."  
  
"Why do you keep trying to deny this? Your body wants this, it grows hotter and wetter by the second. I can smell the pheromones coming off of you in waves. You begged for my touch. Your mouth waters at the thought of tasting me again. As my body throbs at wanting to feel myself sliding between those lips of yours,  deep in your mouth, your tongue running along my ridges, while you suck me until I come. Then pounding into you,  the sound of our flesh meeting,  our cries of pleasure filling the room over and over until we both explode from it." He watched as she swallowed the pooled moisture in her mouth,  knowing she was imagining what he had been saying to her.  
  
Her biotics had weakened as he was speaking. Easing himself in closer to her as her attention was drawn to his words until his fingers once again touched her center finding it soaked. He let out a sound between a chuckle and a groan before pushing his fused finger in deeper finding her so tight around his digit, he wondered for a second how she remained so tight. Then gave a inward chuckle,  those human males must have been unsatisfactorily small in comparison. She always groaned and sighed telling him how much she loved how full she felt,  how stretched when he hilted inside of her. His fingers stroked her, "mmm, just how I remember,  so warm and tight. Can you feel how you are gripping my finger? How your body is drawing it into you? It has been so long since you felt my cock pushing so deep into you,  but your body remembers it. Remembers the pleasure it was given, remembers the way it felt when I was thrusting in you. How it felt when you were above me,  riding me hard and fast.  Or those slow,  teasing times when you would lower yourself on me,  twisting your hips,  then grinding down feeling my scales rub just right on your clit,  sending you into an orgasm. You want to feel it again. You want me inside of you,  over and over."  He shifted, his body poised to thrust into her, his rigid member in his hand,  the tip at her entrance. He could feel the heat from her,  could barely wait to feel it engulf him once again.  
  
She groaned at his words knowing they were the truth,  she had missed him. Missed the way he made her body come alive when they were together. But after so long,  who knows how many other encounters he had. No ... no she couldn't give in. "No, Thane. I will not do this. You have been gone for years. I no longer know you." Her hand had drifted down to try and cover her opening,  her fingers brushed against him as he held himself there.  
  
His breath came out in a hiss. "You slept with me after talking to me for 5 minutes,  you had no problems then. Why now? We are married,  you know me better then all but my old handlers, possibly even better then they do. Why are you doing this to us? Are you intentionally keeping us apart even longer? All these years we were kept apart because of others, because of your death. Now the God's have finally reunited us and this is what you do? You lie to me,  you keep the fact that I have a son from me,  you deny us the comfort and satisfaction of our bodies reunion. You are just like those others ... no,  you are worse they they are."  
  
He moved off the bed, his erection still rampant but he paid no attention to it. Pulling on his discarded leathers he started to stalk to the door."I am going to see my son, try and apologize for the fright I gave him. Then let him know it was not my choice to have been gone so long,  it was someone elses ... and more recently yours."  
  
Shepard started to panic a bit at hearing this, scrambling to get up from the bed before he could make it to the door, "wait. Please. He is frightened enough as it is. Just ... just give me a minute to get dressed we can talk to him together. It might help." His black eyes turned to her, "I will wait to speak with him,  but I will not stay in this room with you." He turned from her and walked out the door.  
  


* * *

  
  
Thane heard the front door open and reached for one of the numerous weapons concealed on his body,  then heard the clicking of Urz's nails on the floor and straightened his coat making sure the guns, knives and various other implements of his job were well hidden. "Come on boy,  let's get breakfast. Mom set out something for you to thaw last night." Thane heard clattering noises in the kitchen and stood watching as his son took a bowl from a box with Urz's name on it. "Mom,  got you all your own stuff and told me not to give you table scraps. So you don't go begging me while I eat. Ok, boy? We can eat together."  
  
The child took out a baggie with something in it and dumped it into the bowl, "eww. That's gross. You really eat this?" Thane grinned as he watched the child try to keep the bowl above the varrens head until he placed it on a mat in the kitchen and moved away. The varren attacked the meat in the bowl with gusto, "geez boy, slow down and chew, you're gonna choke on that stuff." The boy washed his hands then turned, he jumped when he noticed Thane standing in the doorway.  
  
"Easy, child. I know last night was not the best introduction to each other we could have had. But I will not harm you in any way. If you would please tell me where your Mother keeps the tea along with the necessary items to make it I would greatly appreciate it." Thane's eyes moved hungrily over his son,  taking in every small detail of his form, from the sandy brown of his hair down to the blue and white human style shoes on his feet. His eyes quickly went back to his son's face when he noticed the child seemed frozen. He didn't really need the boy's help,  he had watched Jane make the tea last night, knew exactly where everything was kept. But wanted to try and put the child at ease a bit.  
  
The boy pointed to a cupboard to the right of the stove."The... the tea bags and stuff is in there. The kettle is in the cupboard above the stove." Thane gave the child a small bow and slowly moved to the side of the room to retrieve the objects. He noticed the child quickly moved away when he approached the sink for water. He turned his back toward the child, something he would never do to anyone else and waited. He finally heard the child take things out of a cupboard and watched him pour something into a bowl. He held still as the child came to the refrigerator and quickly grabbed a carton out of it before almost running back to the other side of the room. He let out a sigh. The child was indeed terribly frightened of him.  
  
He carried his mug of freshly prepared tea to the kitchen table where the boy was sitting eating from the bowl. "Would you mind terribly if I sat with you for a while?"  
  
The boy held a spoon dripping with milk and something multicolored on it. He gave a small shrug before shoving it into his mouth and chewing. Thane carefully sat down and glanced at the boy. "What is that you are eating? It does not look healthy or filling for a child of your age."  
  
"It's Smarty Rainbow Puffs, it's a breakfast cereal. I eat this every morning."  
  
"What is that made of? Is this all you eat? Why don't you have a better meal?" Thane frowned as he watched his son stuff another spoonful of the colorful things in his mouth. He got up making his way to the cupboard bringing down the box with the cartoonish characters on the front. He was reading the ingredients and nutrition panel when Shepard finally came into the kitchen.  
  
"Why are you letting our child eat this rubbish?" He hissed at her as he shoved the box back into the cupboard. She refilled the kettle and hissed back at him, "he likes it and it's one of the few things he can make himself that doesn't cause an upset stomach. It has taken years to find foods that work with his digestive system."  
  
Thane frowned and looked back at the boy who just got up from the chair and came into the kitchen. "That is not enough,  he is too small for a child of his age." He started opening the various cupboards looking at the items on the shelves that he thought the child could reach. His low growl was heard and it caused the child to freeze where he stood. "This is all rubbish,  where is the fresh foods? He needs proper nutrition."  
  
"Thane,  what did I just get done telling you. Most things don't agree with him. It makes him ill." Shepard all but slammed her mug down,  she was still sexually frustrated from her own refusal to have sex with him, her body was still throbbing,  reminding her of what she missed out on. The one orgasm from his mouth wasn't enough,  not near enough,  and she had denied him even one.  
  
Thane hissed at her then accessed the terminal in the kitchen, he scanned prior orders and let out a low growl then quickly placed an order for foods to be delivered. "What are you doing, Thane? Are you trying to make him sick by forcing this?"  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that _where_ you are getting the foods from could be part of the reason he can't eat them? Did it occur to you that he may need foods grown from a different source then this human made food? If it could even be referred to as food."  
  
"Damn it, Thane. He is my son, I should know what works and what doesn't. We have been through hell trying to find things that he likes and can tolerate. I don't need you to try and force this on him!" Shepard shouted at her husband, whos back went ramrod straight. Thane turned to her and growled out, "he is my son as well, and you never bothered to find out if drell foods were more palatable. You just assumed that since he was mostly human he would be able to only eat human foods. Nowhere was there any food from my people, the items on those previous orders were only for human foods. It was bad enough I was never told I had a son,  but to have him go through this without even trying foods from his other genetic side is intolerable!"  
  
They both stopped yelling and froze when they heard a dish fall to the floor.  
  
"What ... what did he mean? He's not a human. He can't be my dad... right?" He took a few steps backward from them, "you said my dad left us before I was born. Is this why some of the things about me is different? Why didn't you tell me? I'm old enough to know. Is that why all those tests were done? Why didn't you tell him about me? I could have had a dad all this time?" His gaze swung to Thane, "where were you? Why did you leave us? Why did you come back now? Who are you?"  
  
"Sweetheart, wait a second. It's a really long story. There was and is a lot going on here that even we don't understand yet. We too have many questions but no answers to them yet. Let us finish our tea then we can sit down. Answer what we can for you." Shepard closed her eyes and hung her head as she leaned on the counter.  
  
Thane looked at her then turned toward the child. "My name is Thane. Thane Krios,  and yes child,  I am your father." The boy's gaze swung back to him and he visibly swallowed before a slight giggle escaped him. Thane raised a brow ridge at him,  his lips turning up in a slight grin, "what is so funny about my name?"  
  
Another slight giggle, "noth...nothing. Can't help it... If only you had on a black hood or something... then said that, it would have been even funnier."  
  
Shepard shook her head, "he's got a bad sense of humor, Thane. Don't pay any attention to it."  
  
"Hmm... back to your original questions. I was ill when I first met your mother, she helped my species find a cure to a disease that was slowly killing us. I unfortunately made the mistake of not telling her face to face that I was about to go in for surgery and there had been complications. Due to someone or a group of people we have been kept apart. I knew nothing of you,  nothing that had happened to your mother other then what was on the news. But we shall speak more of this a bit later. There are many more questions from all of us that need answers as well."  
  
The door chimed and Thane crossed the room to answer it, taking the bags of groceries from the drell male that had delivered them and giving a slight nod of his head to him in thanks before closing the door and returning to the kitchen. He set about putting things away then slicing up various fruits, while waiting for the pan he had heating to reach the desired temperature. He removed his coat draping it across one of the stools then started making his own breakfast. Placing small amounts of each item on a separate plate.  
  
"Come sit with me child. I will tell you what each of these are, then I ask that you give a small taste to them. Let me know if you have a bad reaction to anything." Shepard watched as they both sat at the small table, Thane placed the small plate in front of her son, who glanced at her then back at Thane before picking up the fork. Her son would grow attached to Thane at an alarming rate she seen. He had always wanted a father, wanted to know about his real father. Now that Thane was in front of him and he had found out who he was,  there would be no stopping it.  
  
Thane watched as his son made a face at tasting one of the fruits, "you do not like that one? Why?"  The boy looked at him,  thinking for a second,  before answering. "It's the texture,  it's all wrong,  feels like sandpaper on my tongue." He stuck his tongue out causing Thane to blink at him. "Oh wow,  do that again."  
  
"I beg your pardon? Do what again?" Thane looked at him curiously. "Blink. That was so cool. Do it again." Thane cocked that brow ridge and blinked again earning a grin from his son. His heart warmed at the sight.  
  
After they were finished Thane cleaned up, asking his son if he was having any issues with the food that he had taken more then a nibble on. So far the boy said he didn't,  but in an hour or so they would know. It usually took about an hour to two hours for the symptoms to occur.  
  
Shepard had been sitting in the living room,  her eyes closed and her head laying on her raised knees,  listening to them in the other room. She never thought about giving him drell foods. There was very little about her son that resembled drell or drell physiology in any way. Since they were both levo protein based both her and Doctor Chakwas just assumed he would be able to eat human foods, it would cause less issues when getting groceries that way.  
  
Both of the males came into the room and took seats on various pieces of furniture. Shepard took a breath and started to explain to her son about the events leading up to the previous night.  
  
"Years ago your dad and I met and he asked me for my help to find a cure for his people. Somewhere along the line,  a salarian doctor decided to use me,  well both of us,  as test subjects of his own. We had no idea this was happening,  both of us thought all the tests and procedures were strictly for finding the Kepral's cure. After those tests were done,  we came home and I started to get ready to return to active duty with the Alliance and your dad was waiting to hear from the scientists for the next round of trials."  
  
Then Thane spoke up. "I heard from them,  but they advised me not to tell my wife, that it was a possibility that the process would fail. I left that morning, but decided to send her a message as soon as I had arrived at the hospital. Due to circumstances beyond my control,  I fell into a coma. I was like that for over a year. According to the doctors that were there when I woke up,  your mother hadn't returned any of their messages or visited the hospital where I was. They had moved me to a facility on Sur'Kesh for observation after not receiving word from her. After I awoke I tried desperately to contact her, to no avail. My emails,  messages were all blocked. I believed she had ended our marriage."  
  
"When in fact,  I never received any of them, nor did Thane receive any of mine. Someone was actively keeping us apart, but we have no idea who." Shepard let out a sigh and looked at her son. "When I told you about your father,  I truly believed he had left us,  well left me, since neither one of us knew about me being pregnant when he had gone in for surgery."  
  
The boy looked at Thane. "So you really didn't even know about me? You didn't just up and leave us?"  
  
Thane leaned forward in his chair staring at the boy sitting on the small ottoman. "Had I known that I was to have a child,  nothing would have kept me from returning. Had I known that Jane was pregnant at the time I left, I never would have gone,  I would have waited so I wouldn't have missed your birth.  I can never bring back those years that were stolen from us, but I will do everything in my considerable power to never miss more." The boy stared into his father's big,  onyx eyes and weighed the words given to him,  trying to decide if he was just saying it or if his dad really meant it. Finally giving him a nod and an "okay."  
  
Thane sat back in his chair and had turned to Jane to ask her where she thought they should start checking into who could have possibly interfered with their family when the apartment's door swished open.  
  
"Janie darlin'. We were supposed to meet for breakfast, where's my two favorite people in this whole galaxy?" A human male came sauntering around the corner, Thane leaped out of his chair and had the male pinned to the floor choking him before Shepard could yell at him.  
  
"Thane, don't kill him, for God's sake. That's my damn brother, John." Jane screamed at him while trying to pull his hands from around her brother's throat.  Her brother's face had started to turn blue before what she had said fully registered with Thane and he removed his hands from around the male's throat. He growled at the male as he watched the human cough and suck in great lungfuls of air while trying to scramble backwards away from the crazy green male staring at him.  
  
"If that male's name is John,  then who is this Aaron that you are in love with?" Thane growled out,  his impatience and anger growing at all these males in his wife's life.  
  
"Um... actually that would be me. My name is Aaron Jasen Krios Shepard."  
  



	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments, kudo's and subscriptions. Glad you are liking my sexily crazy Thane. This chapter is a bit shorter then usual, hope you like it.

* * *

 

 

Thane looked at his son,  then to his wife and actually snarled at her. "Why did you not just tell me that he was the Aaron you were speaking with? I have just about had enough of this pettiness from you." Thane got up from the floor and smoothed his jacket down, before turning back to his son.  
  
"I am interested in these differences you mentioned earlier. I know you have inherited my eyes,  possibly the difference in your higher rib cage comes from your drell heritage as well. If you are comfortable enough with it,  perhaps we can go to your room and you can tell me of any others." Thane turned to Shepard who was still sitting on the floor,  her head in her hand. His eyes drifted to the male who was sprawled on the floor holding his throat.   
  
"Sorry Uncle John,  but my dad's here. I'm gonna spend time with him now,  talk to you later."  Aaron headed to his room closely followed by Thane and Urz.  
  


* * *

  
  
"Jane,  what the hell is going on?" John croaked from his prone position. He coughed again and sat up. "Was that really Thane? I thought you said he left you before Aaron was born, why the hell is he here?"  
  
"It's a long story John. Let me get you something for your throat."   
  
She handed him a glass of water and a few pain relief tablets she kept locked in the small bathroom before sitting on the chair opposite him and started the long explanation.  
  


* * *

  
  
"Wait, are you serious about all those messages being missed?" John was pacing in front of the holographic fireplace. "But why,  it makes no sense,  who would want to keep you away from your husband? Especially when you were pregnant or when Aaron was a newborn? Had to be someone with a lot of credits or connections,  possibly both."  
  
He was still pacing when Aaron and Thane came back out of the child's room. Aaron talking a mile a minute and looking happy. "Shit,  he's already attached to Thane isn't he?" John whispered to her,  she only nodded.  
  
Thane took a seat on the couch and waited until Aaron had left the apartment to take Urz down to the small grassy area in back of the building. "Aaron has told me of some of his differences,  I have a feeling there are more physical ones he was either to ashamed or to embarrassed to share with me."  
  
Jane shifted around on her chair and cleared her throat, "he has very few physical traits of a drell. Your larger eyes, the higher rib cage. When he was born his toes were fused,  they were separated and healed within a few minutes of his birth." She chewed her lip and scratched her nose, "he also ... uh...has a male drell's ...um...",  her voice trailed off as her face turned red as an apple.  
  
"What my sister is trying to say is, his dick isn't like a human males so it must look like yours." John said from the other chair. Shepard threw a small pillow at him.  
  
"Ahh, now I see what he was concerned about." Thane straightened in the chair. "He also mentioned he has memory differences, but would not elaborate."  
  
"Yeah,  he has what we refer to as photographic memory. He can remember what he has read or has seen before with perfect clarity. It differs from a drell's eidetic memory in that,  he does not have the same recall for sound, touch or scent.  Can not bring it up and immerse himself in the memory as you can." John's deep voice rumbled from across the room,  he sat in his chair with his ankle on his opposite knee,  his arms crossed. "It had caused him issues in schools.  That is why he is, what we used to refer on Earth, as "home schooled." He receives daily digital lessons that we go over, he does his work assignments and I grade them,  go over what he doesn't understand until he gets it,  then I submit his work back to the institution."  
  
They heard the door swish open and Urz's nails clicking also several voices. "Mom,  Aunt Tali and Uncle Garrus are here."  
  
Garrus came into the living room area, took one look at the bruising on John's throat and gave a grunt, " I see you met, Krios." John snorted, " yeah,  you could say that."  
  
Garrus sat on the couch and propped his feet on the table in front of him,  making himself at home,  to the annoyance of Thane. "Tali is going to keep Aaron busy while we talk. She brought him a new VI animal to mess around with. Anyway,  here is the thing, last night after all the excitement,  I got to thinking about your old accounts and who would have that level of access to be able to trace both of your accounts. Yes,  Krios, I said both. Because this mess was going on with both of you. It had to be someone that knew you were married,  knew your real name, knew your contact information."  
  
"Somewhere along the line you both had to fill out forms that contained everything. So we got the Systems Alliance, Citadel Records, Hanar Illuminated Primacy. Not to mention the Shadow Broker has their hand in everything. And also the Salarian Union because of the tests. There we have it,  the major players. So let's narrow it down some. We shall start with the Salarians. All of them but the one was on the up and up. That one,  well,  he is no longer in the picture as of a few years ago. He was gone well before Shepard's death."   
  
Thane leaned forward on the chair. "And how do you know he could not still be behind this?"  
  
Garrus let out a snort, " you haven't told him?" He glanced at Shepard who shook her head. "Hmm. It is like this Krios. Less then a decade ago, there was a Salarian doctor,  name Saleon,  who was doing experiments on people. Cloning organs inside of the body,  then harvesting them. He was here on the Citadel, I worked the case and almost had the bastard but red tape got in the way.  Along came Shepard and the Saren mess. I joined up and as Shepard and I became friends we got to talking, I told her about Saleon,  who changed his name to Doctor Heart,  and she agreed to go after him. When we finally were able to go get him, low and behold ... Saleon was the same bastard who was experimenting on you and Shepard. He used the results of what he was able to do with Shepard and applied them to the others. The drug cocktail for new transplants,  to keep them from rejecting them,  was used to keep the test subjects body from rejecting the cloned parts. The bastard kept a journal,  it outlined everything that was done to Shepard and the others." Garrus cleared his throat and shifted on the couch. "He knew she was pregnant when he told her to stop taking the medications. The entry said that once those anti rejection pills were stopped, a natural abortion would happen because the mixed tissue will then be viewed as a foreign substance and would be expelled. Only he didn't count on the Asari's teas,  Doctor Chakwas and her medical know how,  and Shepard's stubbornness to keep her baby."   
  
Shepard flinched as she heard the deep throaty growl that was coming from Thane."The journal went on to say,  that the whole purpose for experimenting on mixed biology was to find out if he would be able to use a handful of subjects to be able to grow any species organs from them to harvest. But it seemed as if Shepard may have been a special case,  or maybe it was because of the other things that she was taking previously to help with the cure,  but he wasn't able to duplicate the hybridization that happened between the two of you. Or maybe because he wasn't using reproduction but straight out organs." Garrus flicked his mandible out, "anyway he was removed completely out of the picture when he drew a gun on us as we tried to arrest him."  
  
"Next is the Hanar, now I personally don't think they would have anything to do with it. Unless they wanted their operative back and that was how they decided to go about doing it." Garrus looked at Thane who sat back and linked his fingers together.  
  
"I stopped being one of their operatives before even meeting Jane. I was freelance when I met her and remained so after I returned to active status."  
  
Garrus stared at him for a few minutes,  his gaze unflinching and his mandibles pulled tight to his face. "Alright. That leaves the Broker, Alliance and the Citadel. Now at the time, nothing major was going on with the Council so I doubt they would have anything to do with it or even would care about you two being married."  
  
"Other then your reputation,  then and now,  and Shepard's actions during the Blitz,  I doubt the Broker would have given you any notice as long as you weren't interfering with him.  That leaves the Alliance. But for what reason they would do this I have no fucking clue."  
  
He fiddled with his omni tool and brought up a split screen. One side showed contact information for Shepard,  the other for Thane. "These were the old accounts, I cracked Shepard's last night, and grabbed the contact info for Thane's from her list. You had thousands of messages that had been remotely redirected, Shepard. If we had your old tool or chip I could do more. But all I could do was go into the accounts and scrape together things. The messages that were being sent or received had an additional string of code embedded into them." He pulled up several messages, ones from John and himself that were received into the account, showing the code string by highlighting it. "You see how our messages have this string, it is repeated in the ones that were sent from you back to us. Now here is the strange thing,  the remote redirects had this string," he pulled up messages with a different code.  
  
"I pulled these from an old draft folder you had saved when you got drunk and tried to drunk text him. They didn't get sent out, just stayed in that folder. Anytime this address was used,  or well ... it seemed if Thane or Krios keywords were used, it would add this string. Even the ones to John had this embedded when the message contained...uh ... mention of Krios,  but someone forwarded them or there was an additional redundant program that would recheck for address. This is only guesswork at this point, anything coming into your contacts from Krios would get automatically deleted or forwarded to whoever is behind this.  They really didn't want you guys to contact each other. The whole "why" part is still an unknown, and the only way you are going to find out is to find out who ordered this."  
  
"Thanks, Garrus. How the hell are we going to do that though?" Shepard laid her head on her knees again.   
  
"You know sis,  they wanted to keep you apart. Now that you aren't,  why don't you use it. Be seen together, the three of you as a family, while here on the Citadel. The crew is here, they can keep an eye on things. Go see the big people, together. Anderson, Udina and the Council. Try and draw them out. Maybe Garrus and Tali can do some surveillance,  see who reacts and who they contact." John stood up, paced,  then turned to look at them. "You guys need to start acting like a loving couple again. In public and around Aaron, that kid needs you both. Especially Thane. Too much has been taken from the both of them,  Jane. I don't know who did this but when you find out,  you better let me know.  I want to find out why that little boy was deprived of his father."  
  
Shepard chewed her lip, she had enough stress on her from the mission, now to add more by being with Thane, having to act as if their marriage was solid? Having to deal with his domineering attitude toward her and Aaron. Although, maybe now that he knew Aaron was her son not her lover he would be able to control his natural instincts better. Before their forced separation he hadn't been like that, well, except at certain times. She hadn't minded then though.  
  
Her face turned red as she blushed,  Thane's gaze swung to her and he raised a brow ridge. "When we were on the Normandy one of the calls you were on with Aaron mentions something about a restaurant. Why don't we start there. The last time I was on the Citadel there was one just opening that had an extensive menu from many of the species. Their drell food was palatable so should be easy for Aaron to digest, he has yet to come to us with stomach complaints from this mornings breakfast. We can spend the day wandering the busier sections of the Presidium. The Embassy is right near the financial district,  not a direct route to be sure,  but there are splendid gardens there we could stop at while making sure we are in full view of the entrance to them. If someone there should be the ones doing this,  it will draw their attention."  
  
"Yes, but how are we going to protect Aaron when we leave? How do we know they won't turn their sights on him,  do something to him while we are out ridding the galaxy of the Collectors?" Shepard got up and started pacing.  
  
"Sis,  did you forget about me? I'm not quite as helpless as Krios made me look earlier,  you know. I may no longer be in the Alliance but that doesn't mean I am completely soft. Plus you just upgraded the security system, which he managed to break and have it look like a walk in the park,  by the way." John raised an eyebrow at Garrus,  a cocky smirk coming twisting his lips.  
  
"Yeah,  yeah. That's another reason why we are here. Update security protocols. You need to undo what ever you did to the system last night,  Krios. So I can add more safeguards. Also fix whatever loopholes you found so they can't be used again." Garrus didn't sound to happy about their upgrades being bypassed so easily by someone that had only slightly better then average technical expertise.   
  
"As you wish,  it would require you going to roof. The access to the ventilation shaft is the weak point for access to the building. Once inside,  the entire building is accessible rather easily and quickly. The sensors you placed near the points of entry to this apartment inside the shaft were extremely close to the openings, giving me enough time to see the small red glow from the lights and to run hacks to disable them. The vents themselves are generic and of no consequence."  
  
Garrus let out a fluttering huff as his mandibles flicked, clicks of agitation were clear even to the humans.   
  


* * *

  
  
After going back up through the vent and removing the rope that was still attached to the underside of the fan system, they added redundant systems along the area of the shaft leading to her apartment. Garrus and Tali left shortly after,  a squeaky apology coming from Tali for having lied to Thane.  
  
Shepard was nervous as the three of them left the apartment later that afternoon.  They had a plan,  sort of,  after shopping for casual clothing and a new set of Drell Leathers to be sent to the apartment, they would stop in to see Anderson. Depending on how she looked at it,  maybe they would get lucky and Udina would stick his weasely nose into what was going on in the Councilor's office. They could see how both of them reacted to seeing them all together. The restaurant was in the busiest section of the Citadel, it had taken Shepard pulling her Spectre card in order to get a reservation. She had practically threatened the manager,  telling her that she was only on the Citadel for a short time, before leaving on Spectre duty again and would actively put out word about being refused service there. Twisting it into something racial that left a sour taste in her mouth.  
  


* * *

  
  
Shepard stopped and straightened Aaron's clothing telling him they were going to see an old friend of hers,  the Humanities Councilor and he needed to be presentable. He had stopped fussing and batting at her hands when he noticed Thane straightening his own clothing,  smoothing non existent wrinkles and brushing away specks of dirt,  if any had even dared to settle on those pristine black and grey leathers.  
  
She took a deep breath and glanced at Thane,  who gave a brief nod,  then they headed for Anderson's office. Stopping at the assistant's desk, "Please tell Councilor Anderson that Spectre Shepard and family is here to see him. Thank you." Her voice carried to several of the other humans that were milling around near the offices, Thane's eyes flicked quickly over their faces,  he would remember their faces and reactions to bring up later when they discussed it with others to try and figure out what was going on. After hearing Anderson tell her to let them all in they walked into the spacious office.  
  
Anderson stood up from his desk and walked around it,  shaking Shepard's hand then turned his attention to the others that were with her.  
  
"Shepard,  this is a surprise. I didn't know you were back on the Citadel already. When Williams gave her report of the happenings on Horizon I thought it would be a while to hear an update from you." His gaze turned to Thane and his brows furrowed. "You are Krios? Shepard's absentee husband? Do you know what hell she had been put through when you disappeared? She almost lost her chance at N7 training because she spent so much time looking for your ass." His gaze flicked to the small boy standing between them. "You must be Aaron. Sorry for not having the chance to meet you until now. I have heard a lot about you from Doctor Chakwas."  
  
Shepard blinked at him, "this was just a short stop to give my crew some shore leave, they deserve it after everything that has been going on with the Collectors. I'll send you an update before we leave." Shepard chewed her lip, "Anderson, we need some help. I - I think you can be trusted. Thane didn't just disappear all those years ago...",  she stopped when he held up a hand. He reached over and tapped a few commands into a device sitting on his desk,  when the lights on it stopped flickering and went solid blue he turned back to her and nodded.  
  
"Okay, continue,  this damn office is bugged out the ass, Shepard. Now what the hell is wrong? You know you can trust me." Anderson leaned back against his desk, his arms crossed over his broad chest.  
  
"Thane went into a coma when he had his lung surgery. Anderson,  someone was blocking our messages, I didn't even know he was going in for it. Nothing. Here look at this,  this is from my old Alliance account,  before becoming a Spectre and the one afterward before my tool was destroyed when the original Normandy went down." She brought up the messages with the highlighted areas.  
  
"This was going on all that time?" Anderson looked at the dates, then shut off the screen when he heard the beep at the door of someone asking for entrance. Udina came in after Anderson pushed the button to unlock the door.  
  
"Anderson,  why didn't you tell me Shepard had been here, she agreed to stay in the Terminus to keep her Spectre status. She should not be here." Udina started spouting off as soon as he was through the door. Coming to a fast halt as his eyes flickered from Anderson to Shepard, widening as he noticed a Drell standing next to her with his arm draped over the shoulders of a small framed young boy. "I didn't realize she was still here ... or brought the - family."  
  
"Hmm, odd that you mentioned that,  didn't realize you would know who her husband and their son were." Anderson stood up from his more casual stance and put his arms behind him in a parade rest. "Was there something else? Something you found important enough to interrupt my meeting with my guests? If not,  leave."  
  
Udina snarled at him then turned and left, the door locked behind him. "I'll check into it,  but it has to be done quietly,  so it may take me a while. But I had nothing to do with this, Shepard. I pushed the committee to give you enough time to look for Krios. They were the ones that wanted to get you into the N7 program right away, they were the ones that insisted you change your surname back to Shepard on your military records. If it was one of them or someone higher on the food chain this could get messy."  
  
"But why, Anderson. I would have went into the program. I told you that when you offered it. He supported my decisions then. Do you have any idea what all of us has been put through,  and not just medically but emotionally as well. That ruined damn near everything, Anderson. They even removed the fact that I was married from the records. He came looking for me,  he was looking ... he didn't just up and leave."  
  
He let out a sigh and shook his head, "all I can do is look into it and carefully have the records put back as they originally were. At least you found each other again. This galaxy is going to shit ...oh,  excuse me son,  it's going down the crapper,  take the time to be a family while you can, Shepard. When I hear anything I'll pass it on to you."  
  
"Alright,  any help would be appreciated. Just ... just leave Aaron's file reading as human alone. No one needs to know he is a hybrid,  Karin and I spent a lot of time making sure those records were that way."  
  
Anderson's eyes widened and flicked from her to her son and his father, "Lord have mercy, Shepard. When I heard you were pregnant all of us assumed it was done artificially or...",  there was a short pause. "Makes no difference, I'll go over his records to make sure it is clear,  have Chakwas do so as well." He nodded his assurance at her, "Now,  I got to get back to work. It was good seeing all of you together."  
  


* * *

  
They were getting close to where they were to have dinner when Thane stopped them. "Udina,  that was the person from the Embassy that I had met with. He was the one that told me everything was classified,  he was also the first one that told me there was no record of our marriage. He would have been the one that the Hanar ambassador would have spoken to as well."  
  
Shepard grit her teeth and clenched her fists. "That bastard has been nothing but a pain in my ass since I was first brought back to the Citadel after N7 training. Always poking his nose into my business. He refused to believe me about the Reapers,  he kept getting in my way,  and was one of the reasons why I was grounded during the fight against Saren. If it wasn't for Anderson we would have all bought it when Saren attacked and the Reapers would have already been here."  
  
"Siha, after we eat you should contact Garrus. It is a lead,  maybe his C Sec connections can help in some way. Even if it is only to lightly monitor his actions."  
  
She let out a hum and they started walking again.  
  
"Dad,  what is a Siha? Why did you call Mom that?" Aaron was looking up at him as they walked. Thane's chest constricted,  his heart warmed even more at the ready acceptance he had found with his son once it became known that he was his father and didn't willfully or purposely leave him.  
  
"A siha is a warrior-angel of the Goddess Arashu, son. A fierce protector,  a staunch defender. Your Mother embodies the aspect fully,  she is a Siha." He watched as his son's forehead furrowed as he thought.   
  
"Yep, that's Mom alright. A siha, yeah, I like the sound of that."


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

 

 

The doors to the restaurant slid open and the Asari at the small podium approached them, "Commander. We have your table ready. Follow me please." She spoke to them in short clipped sentences, barely civil,  and led them to a small table in the back of the restaurant. Quite near the swinging doors where the servers were busy coming and going delivering orders. It was the worst seats in the restaurant. Well, it would have been had it not also been stuffed in a corner with 2 walls so they didn't have to watch their backs. It gave Thane a complete view of every table in the place.  
  
A surly Asari came to take their drink order, Shepard warned her that to piss her off even more with the way she and her family were being treated would bring about a rampage that would rival a Krogan having a bout of bloodrage in their establishment. And there wouldn't be a damned thing they could do to stop her. "So get rid of the fucking attitude before you learn first hand what it means when people say Spectres are above the law. Bring us the damn menus and take our damn orders. And if there is one thing off with our drinks or our food,  I will haul each and every single one of you down to C - Sec to be arrested and charged with attempting to poison a Spectre." They saw the Asari swallow then go rushing off to actually do her job. Bringing the menus back and giving them a rushed apology for not having them with her the first time.  
  
Aaron was sitting there staring at his mother,  he had seen her become angry before,  but normally she wouldn't use cuss words in front of him. As it was, he was lucky she hadn't grounded him until he turned 18 from the ones he had used when he had ran into her bedroom.  
  
Thane cleared his throat and opened his menu glanced at it then shut it. He watched Aaron scan the children's menu and close his as well after only a minute. Shepard kept flipping the pages back and forth. Aaron picked up his fork and started poking it into the table. "Mom, she gave me a menu that only had human food on it."  
  
"Hmm? Read your dad's menu,  then pick something. You guys can split the stuff and whatever is left over we can take home for you later." Shepard kept flipping the pages not even noticing how Thane gave a slight grin at how easily she referred to him as Aaron's father. Aaron reached for the menu then took a minute to skim over it. Thane reached for it and laid it to the side. Aaron picked his fork back up and started to ask what each of the items were. Thane would give him exact details down to what it tasted like. Aaron looked up and blinked, Thane smiled at him and suggested he order the item from the left column fifth listing down. He,  himself, was getting the tenth item from the right column.  
  
Shepard started to mumble about what she might order,  not even paying attention to how Aaron was looking at Thane.  The realization that he hadn't needed to hide his photographic memory from him when they were talking earlier came over his face. His dad had it too,  or something similar.  
  


* * *

  
  
When they got back to the apartment, Thane put away his newly purchased garments in Shepard's closet, seeing it was as sparse as the one on the ship had been. Shepard in the meantime had sat on the couch to contact Garrus.  
  
"Garrus, we think we know who is behind it,  or at least one of the people behind what happened to Thane and I. Udina. His eyes about bugged out of his head and he referred to them as my family as soon as he had seen them. But according to what Thane had said, our marriage wasn't recorded in the files when he went to find me.  Anderson knew because he was the one I spoke with when Thane first disappeared. See if some of your old C-Sec contacts are willing to keep tabs on Udina for us. I want to get most of this rolling before we pull out of dock. It's going to be a while before we can get back here."  
  
"I'll call in a few favors. Not sure how many are going to be willing to do it though, we're talking an Ambassador here ... not some shopkeep."  
  


* * *

  
  
"Siha, I would like to take Aaron out to get him a few items. I noticed him looking at certain things as we passed by stores this afternoon." He had taken a seat on one of the chairs opposite of where she was sitting,  having the table taken up with a terminal and data pads strewn across it. Several holo screens were raised with what appeared to be building layouts or landscapes.  
  
"We don't have the money for that stuff. I did promise him a hamster but that was before Urz." She kept making notes on a data pad without looking up at him and seeing the way he grit his teeth.  
  
"What do you mean you don't have the money? I do not see how you could have spent all of it without having much to show for it." Thane's voice was low and gravelly, wondering where all the money that he had sent her over the years had gone to.  
  
She looked up at him a frown on his face."What the hell are you going on about? The Alliance isn't known to be generous in their pay,  and considering they had me listed as dead and off the payroll for two years,  there was no income coming in from me to support Aaron. It was all on John to do so. Cerberus isn't paying me shit, the credits we find and split between the crew,  all of mine gets sent here to buy him the necessary items he needs. Unlike the rest of you, I have a family to support and a home to pay for. I can't afford many fripperies."  
  
"He is my son. I will support him as I supported you all these years. I don't know what you did with all the money,  but it should have went to giving our son more then just basic necessities." Thane's voice had raised,  something that for him, was not a common occurrence. Shepard threw the data pad on the table. "The money that you gave me those first few months we were together before you left? That ran out quick for his hospital bills. How long did you think 2,000 credits would last? I spent more then that on diapers and various infant formulas in the first two months of his life."  
  
Thane looked at her, "2,000? What do you mean only 2, 000 credits? True that was the amount I had transferred over to you after we had been released from the facility, but there was more over the years. Much more,  a small fortune in fact. Are you saying you did not receive any of it?" He brought up his omni tool,  navigating to his banking facility and inputting the 42 digit security codes and his print ID before it even allowed him access to the accounts. From there he went to the account he had set up for her 10 years ago and did the same thing. The account was intact, the funds were there. Steady and tidy sums were deposited and interest accruing. He checked the information. Both of their names were there Thane and Jane Krios, their identification codes were not changed. She also never touched a single credit in withdrawal past the initial amount of 2,000 credits. "The account is intact as is our information."  
  
She sighed and got up going to her bedroom,  he followed her. She began digging around in her closet finally finding a badly dented and dusty lock box. He recognized it,  he had bought it for her after they had moved into their tiny apartment. He told her to keep important papers and such in there and to keep it in safety deposit box. Instead, it looked like it was used as an object she took her frustrations out on periodically.  
  
She dumped the contents on the bed. Old holos fell to the coverlet, several data pads and her wedding ring.  A sealed baggie that looked like it had a book sized folder of papers,  he noticed the medical symbol on the cover and thought it was Aaron's medical file or something to do with Aaron anyway. She picked up a packet of official looking letters and removed the band around it. Paper after paper she turned over, until she found the ones she was looking for and handed him the ones that were clipped together.  
  
"As I said, 2,000 credits all went toward the hospital that first month. That was only a drop in the bucket. All of my pay,  all of John's pay went toward paying off that hospital bill. He sold his apartment and we sold our parents home on Mindoir to buy this apartment,  the rest of the money paid off the hospitals. The account you had set up,  was dry. Nothing was ever deposited into it. There are the papers of inquiry,  the notice of it being closed. The copy of the certified check that had been sent to me for those credits after the account had been closed less then a year after you left, for no activity. So whatever account you are referring to is not the same one, it was not the one you set up for me. Maybe you should check the female's name on it again, because whoever it is,  it's not me or the bank wouldn't have done this." She started to gather up the papers throwing them into the box. He reached for the holo's,  they were ones of them taken before and after the trial. One of them was their wedding holo, it had stains on it, small splashes with a white dusty appearance along the edges. Tear stains.  
  
He looked up to see a shimmering trail of liquid making its way down her cheek and he dropped the holo back on the bed before gently reaching for her. "Siha,  listen to me. I promised you that I would give you everything,  and I did. I do not know what caused this,  but we shall go to the bank tomorrow and I shall straighten this out. I did not know this had been done, I did not know any of this. Every job I took,  I kept my promise with. I knew if we were together it would have broken your heart to know I was once again freelancing, but I couldn't contact you, I couldn't find you. I tried other jobs, but without you beside me it felt ... empty. I felt empty ... my body took over and did what it was trained for. But I kept my word." His thumbs brushing away the drops of warm liquid,  his heart breaking at what she must of thought. Abandoned. Forgotten. Used. Lied to.  
  
"You are the only female I have. You are the only female that I want. No one else. You are my wife, Shepard. We have to move past this,  we have to find a way to start trusting each other again. For ourselves and our son." He let out a soft chuckle, "a son. I never thought ... someone like me, would ever be able to say that. Compact trained assassins do not have families. You have no concept of what this is like for me, just how ... amazing this is. Even if you don't believe me, I thank Arashu everyday for bringing you into my life, and now I have her to thank for granting us a child. A miracle in more ways then one."  
  
He reached down and picked up her wedding band, twisting it around in his hand, his index finger on the inside as he ran his thumb over the smooth surface of the plain band. "I should have said this sooner, but I am sorry for the way I have acted. My natural instincts are hard to control right now,  my emotions at times consume me and my more dominate side emerges. Once we share our bodies,  and I make you completely mine again,  it will help to lessen those urges. You have once again awakened me, and my body is constantly making demands, wanting to feel you against me. Moving with me as I bury myself deep inside you. It is difficult for me not to just take you. I told you before I will not be denied the comfort of your body. Know this, Jane,  soon I will have no choice. I would rather you allow us to join before it gets to that point. I do not know if I could be gentle with you."  
  
He continued to twist that ring, going over in his head all she had just said, "you think I have another woman. Or other women. I do not nor have not since you." His onyx eyes caught and held hers, seeing the shine of wetness from the tears of heartache still in her eyes. Her thoughts of his betrayal. He, himself, had those same thoughts. How many males had been with her,  yet ... they had been wrong. Nothing more then misunderstandings or reactions from misdirection on her part.  
  
He took her hand in his and carefully slipped her ring back on her finger. "It belongs here,  not in some dusty box. I swear by Arashu,  that I have never forsaken you. I told you our kind were monogamous, I wanted no other. This is the reason for you denying me, isn't it? During our forced separation my body wanted no other, my thoughts of you were what brought me relief. My memories of you, of us, sustained me. I fell into solipsism, felt you, smelled and heard you in my memories. You and only you."  
  
He inched his way closer to her, his eyes still holding hers, until finally he was close enough to feel the heat from her body. His one hand closed over the back of her head while the other dragged her fully up against him.  
  
His lips touched her's gently at first, his tongue flicking out to run along her plump lower lip, then met hers more forcefully. Grinding against her own,  his tongue licking along the seam and pushing it's way into the hot cavern of her mouth when she gasped. His hand on her head held her firm to him, not letting her get away from him this time. His other hand slid from her waist, over her hip,  giving it a light squeeze,  then to her ass. His fingers spread wide cupping as much of her in his palm as he could, pressing her tight to his lower body and letting her feel the erection that was straining the leather of his pants. The groan that came from him was animalistic,  the need for her burning in his veins as he ground her body against his.  
  
"Eww... that's nasty." Aaron was standing in the door way,  a look of childish disgust on his face as he witnessed his parents kissing.  
  
Thane was breathing hard when he blinked and looked over at his son, "you may think so now,  son, but in a few more years I can guarantee you will feel differently about kissing."  
  
"Yeah,  not likely,  dad. Mom, Uncle John is on the vid comm."  
  


* * *

  
  
As she spoke to her brother, Thane had Aaron get ready to go out. She yelled at them right as they were leaving the apartment. "We are going shopping, Siha." Thane put his hand on his son's shoulder and guided him out the door.  
  
They went back to the market area and Thane followed Aaron from store to store. The child at first did nothing more then just look. It had taken quite a lot of convincing on his part to get Aaron to actually agree to pick something that he wanted. A few new games for the old game console he had. His eyes skimming over the brand new console and all the games that were available. A few books and a new music player. Thane could see his son's eyes focus on certain items, could see his fingers twitching before turning from the items or passing them up for a cheaper alternative.  
  
One thing he did notice was when they passed by certain stores his son would stop to look at items for the home,  or ones that would be more suitable for Shepard. They stopped at a pet store picked up a few things for Urz,  then went into a second hand store where Aaron had started looking at clothing. Thane finally had enough and explained to Aaron that he had no need to shop here.  
  
"Mom and Uncle John always bring me here, we don't have a lot of money and she does the best she can!" Aaron almost yelled at Thane before turning back to the boy's rack of clothes. Thane let his hand fall to his side,  his anger at whoever kept them apart and was behind the issue with the account growing inside of him as he watched his son scrounging for clothing that was in decent shape and close to fitting, while across the deck was store after store selling brand new items.  
  
"I did not mean to imply otherwise, Aaron. But today, we can go to see if there is something you would like from one of the other stores." Thane was out of his element on how to deal with this. When he needed items he went and purchased what he needed without having to worry about funds. But to watch his own child going without because he was acutely aware of the family having very little money was heartbreaking, especially when there had been no need. "Think of it as a gift for all the missed holidays."  
  
Aaron slowed down shoving the hangers aside on the rack,  he had been mad at his dad because he thought that Thane was saying his mom wasn't taking care of him. "She does what she can, so does Uncle John. A lot of times she goes without stuff to get me something. When I was younger,  before the attack, I would hear her crying in her bedroom. Talking to herself, asking where you were,  why you left us. I may have been a little kid but I figured out what was going on. I don't need stuff like all those other kids. I learned to take care of the things I had, made sure I didn't break it or get it too dirty. I don't need new things. I have plenty of stuff already. You want to make up for missed holidays? Take care of mom, get her the things she wants. And don't leave us again. I'm not sure Mom can go through that again. And I would be really pissed." Aaron glanced over his shoulder, "don't tell her I used that word, she'll ground me, then she'll beat up Uncle John for using it around me."  
  
Thane rubbed the back of his head,  he had no clue what Shepard would want, what she needed. "What do you suggest? What do you think she would like the most?"  
  
Aaron stood there thinking, his mind rapidly flipping through all of the things he had seen her pick up, then look at the price on and put back down. "Well,  there was this one thing she looked at several times. She went to get one when she had seen a sales ad but it was already sold out. All she said was she didn't really need it anyway since that old water kettle was good enough. She doesn't know I have watched her flipping through those housewares sales ads every time she comes home."  
  
"Then if it is your wish that we shop for your Mother, then that is what we shall do. You know what items she would like the most so I shall follow you and you pick them out. They will be from both of us." He watched as Aaron thought it out, his hand wiggling one of the hangers. "I don't know,  some of that stuff was expensive,  and Mom might get mad at us for spending money like that."  
  
"Aaron,  there is no need to worry about money. There are more then enough funds to cover anything that she could want,  or you would want for that matter. Please believe me. I am trying to straighten this out,  to find out what happened. This is just one more thing that has been interfered with." Aaron looked up into Thane's eyes and scratched his shoulder, "well, if she starts to yell, I'm going to blame it all on you. I hate being grounded."  
  
The rest of the day they went shopping for Shepard, spending an inordinate amount of time in the housewares area. Aaron pointing out items,  checking the prices and then either telling him yes or saying it had been cheaper at another store,  which usually netted them a price match on the item. Once they were done and had it set up for the next day delivery they started their way back to the apartment. They were passing a women's lingerie store when something in the window attracted Thane's attention and he stopped. He heard a groan and an "oh please, please, please not this store". Thane looked at him and cocked an eye ridge before backing up to the door, "oh God, Dad... this is so embarrassing." Aaron hung his head and dragged his feet to the door his Father had just disappeared through, heaving a huge sigh and trying not to look at the mannequins only wearing bras and underwear.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait and for the much shorter then usual chapter. I am having a serious writers block with this story. I know where I want it to go, how I want it to end but the darn words are stuck.
> 
> I am not happy at all with this chapter so don't be surprised if I edit it up and post a note about it after I get my head working properly again.

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Aaron let out a huge sigh as he laid his head on his folded arms while leaning against the counter. "Hurry up, dad. Geez, if any of my friends see me in here I'll never hear the end of it."  
  
Thane looked at his son while holding a sheer green negligee in his hands, "things like this can not be rushed, Aaron. Choosing the perfect ensemble for your mate takes time and care. Choosing the right color and style to accentuate their body and skin or scales,  what have you, is a priority. Then you must imagine what they would look like while wearing it,  if it would please them as it would you."  
  
"Oh geez, dad,  that is way too much information. Just pick out something already,  so we can get out of here." Aaron groaned and dug through his bag trying to find the new music player he had just got, jammed the buds into his ears and turned up the volume so he wouldn't have to hear his dad go on and on about that stuff.  
  
Aaron was just deciding if he should run off and leave his dad inside the store when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "I am ready to leave, Aaron."  
  
"Oh, thank God." Aaron almost ran for the door,  turning his head looking around outside as he practically ran toward home. He didn't stop until he was in his room.  
  
When Thane came through the apartment door, Shepard started to yell at him, accusing him of doing something to hurt Aaron. "Siha,  he is my son. I would never harm him, ever. I stopped at a store to do some shopping and it made him a bit uncomfortable to be inside. He took off running as soon as we left the store."  
  
"What store? What could have been so bad that he just ran into his room and shut the door. What did you do?" Shepard knew she was acting irrational,  but she couldn't seem to help it.  
  
Thane's low growl came out, he shoved the bag he was holding at her. "I went in to buy you these. I was hoping we had moved past your distrust of me,  but I should have known better." He turned and walked to Aaron's door, knocked and waited for permission to enter. "Thane,  I ...", he glanced up at where she was looking at him giving her a slight nod before entering the room.  
  


* * *

  
  
Shepard looked at the bag and read the name on it, _The Naughty Side_. She had heard of that store,  it was the most expensive ladies lingerie store on the Citadel. That explained Aaron's uneasiness, he hated going shopping when he knew she was getting underclothes,  and that was just from a regular store. He must have been mortified in this one. It amazed her that he had waited inside, normally he tried to sneak off from her when she was looking through the racks of underwear and hanging bras.  
  
She carried the bag to the bedroom and opened the boxes that were inside. There were lingerie sets in a variety of colors and styles. All the kinds she wished she could have had but because of the prices knew she wouldn't be able to get.  Inside the larger box that was on the bottom was a sheer emerald green ensemble. A set of lacy thong underwear with a babydoll style top,  the breast cups were heavily embroidered with a pattern of leaves and small red roses. Under that was a emerald robe made of a cool slick material. The tiny tag said it was silk. It must have cost a small fortune for these items.  
  
"Do you like them?" Thane's voice called softly to her from the doorway. She turned still clutching the robe in her hands.  
  
"They are wonderful, but ..." she turned back and started to put it all back into the boxes. "No. There are no buts. They are gifts for my wife. You will not be telling me to return them or that you won't accept them, Shepard. The anger and mistrust between us has to stop. Not just for us but for Aaron as well. We are continuing to do what the others started,  rip apart our family. We used to be happy,  even among the pain of the medical trials we found happiness. Even when you found out what I had been trained for,  you came to understand and accept it. You aren't even giving me much of a chance now,  for something that I didn't do,  that I had no control over."  
  
He moved closer and ran one hand over her shoulder and down her back before turning her around to face him. "I meant what I had said in that message that I played for you,  even after all that time I still loved you. All I ask is that you give me a chance,  give our family a chance. We need to find out who did this to us and more importantly why.  I want us to be a family.  I want to get to know my son. I want to get to know my wife again and for you to know me as well."  
  
He brushed a hand against her face, "I want to relearn your body,  hear you call my name as I fill you. Feel your nails scrape against me,  your breath against my neck. The way you bury your head into me and sleep peacefully when wrapped in my arms." He leaned in kissing her gently,  his lips sliding along her jaw to right below her ear, "I want to see you wearing that lingerie so I can slowly take it off of you using my hands and teeth."  
  
He slid one of his hands over hers bringing it to the front of his pants,  his erection throbbing behind the leather. "I need you, siha. Please stop denying us the pleasure we find in each other." One of his hands slipped up under her shirt,  cupping her breast,  his thumb brushing across the nipple causing her to gasp. His tongue leaving a trail of moisture on her neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive spot at the nape. A low growl came from his chest as he heard her moan,  her palm reflexively pressing on his erection and stroking against him. He moved one of his hands to the front of his pants and opened several of the closures,  tucking her hand inside. Her warmth and the feel of her touching him made him groan. He shivered as her fingers closed around his rigid member and gave a light squeeze.  
  
His lips moved back to hers coaxing them to open and sliding his tongue inside to twist and twirl around hers. His hand glided to the hooks of her bra and deftly flicked them open then palmed her uncovered breast. The small nub peaking as his scaled fingers ghosted over it, his fingers plucking and giving light tugs on the hardened peak. She let out a moan and squeezed her hand around his cock. "Please, siha." He whispered his plea against her lips, he nudged her backward until her calves hit the edge of the bed. Lowering her down to lay amidst the boxes of silk, satin and lace.  
  
His nimble fingers moved over her hip and thigh coming to rest on the closures of her pants, the button was quickly opened. His kisses becoming rougher,  more urgent as he grasped the small pull tab of the zipper, easing it down. The rasp sounding loud in the room. Their quickened breaths and moans starting to fill the air around them. She gasped and slightly arched her body as his fingers delved into the opening,  sliding along the outside of her cotton covered sex.   
  
"Touch me, siha. I need to feel your hand on me again." A throaty groan escaped him as she placed her hand on him, giving a stroke as his fingers found her moist center. His lips met hers again as his fingers plunged inside her,  her tight heat gripping him.  Her free hand came up gripping his upper arm as he began to thrust his hips and fingers in rhythm. Their ragged breaths becoming even harsher as their bodies drew close to a quick climax, both of them riding the edge.   
  
He felt her body shifting, her hips flexing trying to send his fingers deeper within her as she started to tighten. He added his index finger,  widening her further. His wrist twisting and fingers curling inside her until she trust against his hand,  stiffening for a moment before she moaned and started to shake. His own thrusts into her palm speeding up and within moments he gave one final thrust, his own body stiffened as he gave a muffled groan into her mouth.  
  
His lips gentled and he eased his fingers from inside her. Their eyes opened and stared into each others as their kiss ended.  "Thane ..."  
  
He slightly shook his head, "shh,  do not talk. Just lay here with me for a few more minutes." She opened her hand and he let out a low sigh before easing down on the bed beside her. A few minutes was all he asked for, until something more came up and he would have to start all over again with gaining her willingness to be with him. These past few moments only whetted his appetite,  his body nowhere near sated.  
  
She let out a sigh less than five minutes later and reached down to adjust her pants and fastened them before standing up. She made her way to the bathroom across the hall, washed her hands and straightened her clothing. When she came back out Thane was waiting with a fresh set of leathers. He took a shower while she stacked the lingerie boxes and changed the coverlet on the bed. She still wasn't exactly sure why she let him do that,  but she was sure about one thing. He was right when he said they needed to learn to trust each other again, for everyone's sake.  
  


* * *

  
  
John had come over for dinner that night and they told him about the accounts. He was quiet for several minutes thinking about all they had given up to help his sister and how different things would be if their family had been left alone.  
  
"Any news yet about who could have done this?" John asked as he watched his nephew dig into unrecognizable items on his plate that Thane had made for him. "None. Other then a possible connection to Udina."  
  
"Udina? Ambassador Udina? Why would that slimeball want to interfere with your marriage? I thought maybe someone in the Alliance but ..." John's sentence was cut short as he watched Aaron cut into what he originally thought was a piece of fish wrapped in something that resembled seaweed. Only there was something that looked an awful lot like an insect leg sticking out from the cut end of it. "Are you actually going to eat that?" John's voice took on a horrified shaky tone as he watched that fork get closer to Aaron's mouth. His face took on a shade of green as Aaron popped it into his mouth and chewed before swallowing. "Yeah. It tastes good. Want to try some?"  
  
The green shade got a touch darker before John swallowed, "uh, no. Thanks anyway, but it's best if you eat it."  
  
Jane let out a small laugh, "it's best not to actually pay attention to drell food too much. Just know that his system seems to have no adverse reactions to drell cuisine."  
  
"Uh huh ... but back to Udina. How sure are you about this,  Janie? This is a bit higher then some Alliance asshat hacking your file to remove your marriage from it. We are talking at least Alliance brass,  maybe higher. And why such a long time?"  
  
"We don't know,  John. We have some people looking into it, but we leave the day after tomorrow and doubt everything will be solved by then."   
  
"I'll see if I can't call in the last few favors from some of the people I know that's still Alliance. Maybe something will come up." He averted his eyes from the strange looking dessert that Thane had just placed in front of Aaron before starting to eat his own. He did have to admit that Aaron ate more for dinner that night then he ever had before and seemed to be feeling better.  
  


* * *

  
  
That night they watched a vid before it was time for Aaron to go to bed. John would be picking him up in the morning for his classes. Shepard got up to place the dirty coverlet into the washer dryer before heading to get a shower. She was nervous,  she had the feeling Thane would want to have sex that night, and she still wasn't sure of him. It had been so easy when they were younger, before this mess occurred.   
  
When she entered her bedroom, Thane was there,  waiting for her. He had changed into a set of loose pants and was sitting up against the headboard,  a book in his hands. She nervously went to the unoccupied side of the bed and moved the covers back, turned off her lamp and slid into it, staying on the edge. "Goodnight, Thane." She clamped her eyes closed and tried not to hold her breath. She clutched the covers tighter as she felt him moving around before the light clicked off. The dipping of the bed and shifting of the covers made her tense up. Then she felt his arm snake around her drawing her away from the edge and into the coolness of his scaled body.  
  
A gentle kiss on her shoulder was followed by a "goodnight, siha". She waited with baited breath but he just relaxed, his breathing slow and steady. Eventually she let out a shaky breath and started to relax toward sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

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Shepard woke to a hand stroking along her leg,  dipping into the space between them, slowing and carefully rubbing along her center. She felt Thane's breathing on the back of her neck and the way his body had hardened as he touched her. His breathing became harsher as his fingers encountered the moistness coming from her, her body heating up for him.  His fingers carefully moving the cotton covering her to the side before easing their way inside that hot channel. Curling and withdrawing only to ease inside again. His breathing coming more rapidly,  the puffs of air on the back of her neck were warm and the vibrations coming from his chest where he had started to hum was working their way through her body.  
  
He let out a light moan as his fingers once more eased inside, finding her even wetter then before, the way her body had lightly gripped him as he withdrew from her causing him to give a light hiss. He moved his hand to her thigh,  slowly lifting her leg to rest it on top of his, opening her wider to him. She felt him shift and let out a light sigh as the pressure was released on his cock. His hand slipping down to help move it to where he had wanted it, to where he could feel the heat and wetness from her.  
  
He buried his head into her hair as he held himself against her with his palm, slightly thrusting and withdrawing to rub along her slit. She heard his moan and his whispers of pleading to her,  the way his whole body was shaking with the need of her,  with the way he was fighting to keep from just taking her as his body was demanding. Over and over the short, slow thrusts of his body rubbed against her, he could feel her body responding with her muscles shaking. The way her body was weeping out more moisture and the heat from her was becoming greater.  
  
She closed her eyes and dropped her hand to cover his own pressing down firmer against him. He froze in mid thrust,  his breathing ragged and his heart beating hard. "Siha?" His questioning voice was nothing more then a barely heard puff of air against her. She moved her hand, her thumb coming to rest on the tip of his cock and brushed back and forth against the head where it was leaking out precum. His body started to shudder and his thrusts began again. He slipped his hand out from under hers and lifted her leg higher. "Let me inside."  
  
"Stop." She heard what sounded liked a whimper and his fingers tightened against her thigh. "Help me take off my undies first."  
  
She gasped as he quickly rolled her over and all but ripped off the thin cotton panties. His lips were on hers,  his tongue forcing her mouth open to wrap around her own. His hands were rough as he ran them over her body, widening her legs and roughly pushing her knees up toward her shoulders. She pushed on his shoulders and dug her nails in, sending a biotic shock through him. He growled and blinked down at her.  
  
He closed his eyes and placed his forehead on hers, "I'm sorry, truly. I am too close to losing control, I want this too badly and I am afraid of hurting you. Help me. Please. It will only get worse until it reaches the point where I'll ...I'll ... my memories aren't enough to hold that back much longer. I could not bear it if I did that."  
  
"You need to slow down, Thane. I know you have the control." She brushed her hand long his head and lowered her legs to a more comfortable position. His head dropped to her shoulder and he took several shuddering breaths as her hand caressed his shoulders and neck, moving down his back. She moved her leg,  rubbing along his outer thigh and she felt him shift and throb against her. His hand shifted from clutching at the pillow next to her head to gently running along her side to her leg. The small slightly rough scales of his palms gliding over her skin and lifting her leg to wrap around him.  
  
When he raised his head and looked down into her eyes she could see the difference,  he was firmly back in control of his baser instincts. His lips met hers in much gentler kiss and she opened willingly to him. His sigh and shudder moved through her as his body started to slide against hers. His lips kissed along her jaw and his voice dropped to a low gravely whisper that sent a shiver down her spine, "thank you, my Siha."  
  
He trailed light kisses down her body, licking her hardened nipple before taking one into his mouth and rolling it on his rough tongue. Her gasp and the slight arch to her back was a welcoming reaction to him and he let out a low hum that vibrated through her. His hand shifted and she felt his fingers once more touching her,  testing her before lining himself up to her opening. He groaned when he finally felt the wetness and heat from her bathing the tip of him, the way she quivered as he pushed against her. His lips moved their way back up to hers and as he pushed his tongue between her parted lips he slowly thrust into her body.  
  
Her nails dug into his scales as he stretched and filled her. His hand tightened on her thigh and he stopped,  letting her adjust. Her body was so tight around him and he let out a small groan. When she started to relax again he went deeper, finally hilting and holding still as he was having a hard time controlling his body's needs again. His instincts flaring up wanting to take her hard and fast,  to fill her with his seed to make sure that there was doubt about to whom she belonged. He panted and let out a low growl his mouth fastening on her shoulder as he shuddered and withdrew to thrust back into that incredible heat.  
  
He let out a hiss and tightened his hand on the pillow. He could already feel his body rushing toward release. Another thrust into that tight heat and he let out a groan, "I'm so sorry, Jane." His gasp came a few seconds later as his body shook then emptied itself deep inside her.  
  
She felt his body shaking and heard his low trill. His head buried in her shoulder as she felt the wetness from his tears. She wrapped her arms around him and held on. "Shh. It's alright." Her hands moved over his head, stroking along the ridges, his smooth scales felt cool against her palm and she could feel him calming little by little. When his shuddering finally eased he lifted his head and looked down at her,  his eyes glittering like onyx jewels in the low light coming from hallway.  
  
"I have never been so ashamed. Forgive me. I should have had better control. It is your pleasure that is to always come first,  yet I could not ...." He closed his eyes and turned his head from her,  finally starting to ease his body from hers, stopping anytime she let out a sound signaling her discomfort. He laid next to her and put an arm over his eyes as she adjusted the covers around them. It took several minutes for him to further relax and to draw her unresisting body back into his own.  He curled around her and buried his head in her hair, "I'll make it up to you, Siha. I promise you, everyday for the rest of our lives if that is your wish."  
  
Several hours later he woke to an empty bed and he rolled over and berated himself for his lack of control. She had acquiesced and he acted like an untried youth. He let out a growl, no even his first time he had more control that he did last night. After several more minutes he got up and headed for the shower. After he was finished he headed out of the room and toward the kitchen where he could smell something cooking.  
  
John was standing there with something in his ears, humming an off key tune while scraping a skillet with a large wooden spoon. He turned around and let out a yell of "shit sakes, Thane. Don't sneak up on me like that." Thane waited until John took the earbuds out before telling him he didn't sneak but walked.  
  
"Very funny. Janie and Aaron are out right now. They'll be back in an hour,  they had to go pick up a few more things for that varren she brought home. Did you want some breakfast? I made plenty of peppered eggs. Just have to make some toast and breakfast is all set." Thane nodded and went to the cooler to get his morning fruit and then started water boiling as John fiddled with an old model toaster.  
  
They had just finished when the others came home carrying a few bags from the pet store and dumped them on the counter. Shepard told Thane she would be ready to go to the bank after she changed and got something to eat. He nodded and helped Aaron put away the things for Urz since the varren kept knocking him into the counter as he tried to get to the toys and treats every time the boy took something out of one of the bags. Finally Aaron reached into one of the unmarked bags and brought out an old metal pan. "Mom said this is what they used to use on Earth a long time ago to cook on. She said it was darn near indestructible." He flailed it around then threw it across the room and Urz went running for it.

 

* * *

  
  
Thane opened the skycar door for Shepard and took her hand,  wrapping it around his arm as he led her to the door of the main branch of C&I. When the doors slid open they were greeted by and Asari, "Welcome to the Citadel and Irune Banking and Financial Institution. How may I direct you today?"  
  
"There has been a grievous error made on one of my many accounts. I request speaking with one of the lead account management personnel to rectify this error, immediately. If they are unwilling to meet with me then I will be closing out all of my accounts, and emptying out all of my safety deposit boxes at once. I will also be notifying the Hanar Illuminated Primacy and recommending they switch financial institutions to one more reliable,  that is after I sell my stock in this institution." He swiped his omni tool across the sign in screen and the Asari looked down noticing the code by his name. "Right away, Sere Krios. If you would please have a seat in the waiting area, I will notify the head of the department right away."  
  
Shepard looked at Thane as he guided her to a plush looking sofa. "That was quick,  they would have me standing there for a while before they even bothered to ask what I wanted." He gave a slight grin. "They respond better to ones that are shareholders and have multiple accounts. You didn't think I made all of our money just by freelancing did you?"  
  
She blinked and whispered back to him, "up until a few days ago I didn't know there was any money. Remember they told me my account was empty and nothing was there." He let out a hum and his full lips turned down into a frown. "Yes, well,  that will be taken care of immediately. They better have a good explanation for this as well or I just may make good on closing everything out today."  
  
"You just can't close out your accounts. These people on the Citadel look at you oddly if you try and pay with credits in hand instead of swiping your access app." Shepard was looking around at all of the different people going about their business and Thane let out a low chuckle. "Siha,  this is not the only banking institution I use. I have accounts all over the galaxy under many different names. Which reminds me I need to set up an account for our son as well. Something for him for further education and also ... what is the word you humans use?" He blinked a few times. "An allowance? Yes, that is the correct one."  
  
She started to shake her head when Thane started to stand and gently pulled her up from the couch. A small Volus was huffing his way toward them as fast as his short legs could carry him. "Sere Krios,  sorry...shhht...it took so long for me to get here. My name is Koran Val,  I am the head of the ...shhht... personal accounts division of the bank. If you would follow me please ....shhht... I would be most happy to go over your accounts ... shhht... and any issues you have."  
  
They followed the small Volus back to his office and there Thane handed him the papers that showed the account had been closed and money withdrawn. "I want your explanation of this. I have been depositing funds into this account for quite some time. My records show this account as active and supposedly secure. Due to circumstances I have been away from my wife for many years and when I am able to finally come home, I come to find that this institution has falsified these records and left my wife without her funds. Yet more then happy to take the deposits into this so called closed account."  
  
"Oh my. One moment." The volus rapidly typed on his holo pad, entering the data from the paper and he turned back to Thane. "Sere Krios, this is not an account that was held at this bank. The numbers on this letter are not correct. Shhht... this paper is in accurate."  
  
"That paper may be inaccurate but the check came from this bank and was attached to it. The inquiries sent showed either no one bothered to actually investigate what was happening or they were paid to hide the fact. I am the head account holder,  yet I also was never notified about this. Which is a major breach of the account holders policy. Which if you would like I could recite for you. You will find out who illegally accessed the account,  who withdrew the money and how they obtained your business letterhead. You have until the end of the business day tomorrow to give me answers. Failing to do so will lead to me closing out my accounts and reporting this incident to both the Hanar Illuminated Primacy and to the Banking foundation for an unreported breach of security and protocol. In the meantime you will give access to the correct account to my wife, which you have repeatedly denied to her."  
  
The little volus was shaking in his high pressure suit when he noticed just how many accounts, security boxes and how large the amount of funds that he would have to transfer should he fail in finding out who breached their security all those years ago. Not to mention if the banking foundation heard about this a full scale investigation would be launched and it would be all over the galactic news. "Of course, quite understandable,  sorry for the inconvenience. Mrs Krios would you please hold your omni tool under the scanner here and I will send you the correct app to it and set up your access." He scrolled through the pages of accounts finding the correct one and sent the information.  
  
He noted the file and jotted down the date of the only withdraw from that account, "the date of that withdraw happened almost one month before I came to work here. I will start investigating immediately. Is there anything else I can do for you?"  
  
Thane stood up and Shepard followed him, "not at this time. Find the ones responsible." He turned and walked out of the office door. Shepard following close beside him, still in a state of semi shock as she had glanced at the balance of the account.  
  
A half an hour later they were sitting in a different bank,  this one owned by Asari Republics and their banking facilities, opening several separate accounts for Aaron and a back up one for Shepard. A stop to the Ariake Technologies store on the lower Zakara Ward to pick up an more secure and advanced model of omni tool for Aaron and they headed back to the apartment.  
  
Aaron was just finishing up his schoolwork for the day when they came in giving him his new tool and Thane explained the banking apps and that he was being given his own allowance. That he needed to handle it responsibly. When Shepard left the childs bedroom he turned to Thane. "You weren't lying Dad. We had money but ..."  
  
"No, Aaron. I had made a promise to your Mother when she agreed to marry me,  and I kept that promise through the years even though we were apart. I love her, then and now, I have always done everything I could to keep my word. It is a matter of honor to do so." Thane placed a gentle hand on his son's thin shoulder, hoping he understood.  
  
He only nodded then jumped when he heard his Mother start to yell when she went into the kitchen and saw all of the household goods boxes covering every surface and some piled up on the floor. "Uh oh... you're in for it now. I told you I was gonna blame you if she got mad."  
  
Aaron grinned at Thane as his father started to laugh before quickly cutting it off when Shepard came storming through the bedroom door. "Now, Siha..."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the chapter

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Bedtime that night was an awkward affair for him. He was so unsure of how she felt, if she was upset at his selfishness from the night before. Would she welcome his attentions that night or should he wait until she gave him a signal that she was ready? Thane settled for just holding her tightly wrapped in his arms. Her body was tense for the longest time and it was everything he could do to only hold her, not push her for more. Finally after several long and exhaustively tense hours he felt her ease into sleep and his hold on her lessened as he followed her.  
  
Thane and Aaron had just settled down for lunch when Thane's omni tool gave a ring. He opened it and quickly scanned the contents of the message,  sending a reply back before closing the application up. Aaron watched him while he stabbed at the curiously colored vegetables on his plate.   
  
"What is bothering you, Aaron?" Thane picked up his knife to cut his own vegetables and patiently waited for his son to work up the courage to say what was on his mind. A quick glance up and he noticed his son looking back over his shoulder before leaning against the table toward him. "Are you really an assassin?"  
  
Thane looked at him and blinked before placing his utensils down. "Where did you learn this information, Aaron?" He knew he had mentioned it when he had been confronted by Garrus there at the apartment,  but he also knew his son didn't have the audio recall that his own species did.  At the time he hoped that the child had been too frightened to remember that small detail.  
  
Aaron stared at him for the longest time before answering. "There is this kid in my homework chat room that said he came across some old data feeds with your name on it. Said it was a drell and was the highest paid assassin in the galaxy with the best completion record. It gave some contact information that was out of date when we tried to send a message." He stuffed some food in his mouth and hurriedly chewed it up. "He said he would do some more digging then send out this Thane Krios a message and to watch and see if your omni tool rang." His eyes dropped to his father's wrist and he stuffed some more food in his mouth. His eyes flicking from Thane's eyes back down to his wrist.  
  
"I see. So when a message came in you wondered if it was your friend or not? That if what this boy had found was true or just an extranet rumor? If the drell sitting across from you was some sort of infamous assassin like on one of the video games you play?" He once again started to eat and tried not to laugh at his son's impatience for a real answer. "The message was from the bank official. Your mother and I are to meet with him right before the bank closes for the evening." His lips twitched as he watched his son's shoulders fall and he slumped at the table in disappointment.  
  
Shepard came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl along with a cup of hot tea and sat with them, her eyes held worry when she looked at her son slumped in the chair and looking dejected while pushing the purple and orange food around on his plate. "What's going on here?"  
  
"Nothing to worry about, Siha. The bank official would like to see us in a few hours." He glanced at her then went back to eating, hoping that Aaron wouldn't mention it to Shepard as he wasn't sure if she would want him to know just what his father had done for a living, how he had made all the credits that he had. He certainly hoped that Aaron didn't get it into his head that he wanted to follow in his footsteps. That thought made his blood run even colder and brought a chill to his gut.  
  
She let out a hum and continued to watch her son who seemed to be rather inordinately fixated on the omni tool on Thane's wrist. She also noticed the way Thane's lips twitched then how they turned down into a slight frown before smoothing out once again into his usual stoic look. Something was up with those two,  again.  
  


* * *

  
  
Twenty minutes before closing they walked into the lobby of the large banking facility and they were shown immediately into one of the private waiting rooms. Not five minutes after the official closure message had been announced they were escorted up to the same volus' office.  
  
"Sere Krios ...ssht... Mrs Krios, welcome. Please be seated and I will go over what I have found." The squat volus pointed one of his three fingers to chairs opposite his desk before sitting down and activating his chair to raise it up to the normal height when dealing with the rest of the, much taller then he was, galaxy.  
  
"First let me apologize again for the oversight. Shht... I have gone back over the records. What you had shown me corresponded with the only withdrawal from your account. Other than the deposits being made it had not once been accessed by your own personal ID number. Which meant I had to go to the holo vid logs and get them from the archive section. Shht... on the day your account was accessed someone, that did not match your description, gained access to the account."  
  
He turned on the holo screen and an image appeared. A human male appeared dressed in business attire, a head of dark hair and pale skin was all they could see from that image. Another screen popped up and they saw the copy of the withdrawal form, it was signed Thane Krios. He played the vid log for them. A heavily accented voice asked them to make the withdrawal in the form of a bank check made out to his wife. They watched as the teller walked away from the window and the man reached through the opening dragging several pieces of paper through it,  tucking them into his suit coat's inner pocket. The teller returned several minutes later handing him the check. As they turned they saw a quick glimpse of his face. The volus paused the screen.  
  
"Do either of you recognize this Earth Clan?"  
  
Thane looked at the image,  taking in every small detail. He didn't recognize him and told him so. They watched as Jane sat a bit forward with her brows drawn down and a frown on her face. Her eyes moved over the image and she let out a sigh before shaking her head no. Thane glanced at her with a raised brow ridge as she sat back in her chair and crossed her arms.  
  
"I was worried about that. Shht ... this is all the information I have. I have placed notices on each of the accounts and safety box accounts connected to both your names. Should anyone, shht,  including either of you access the accounts in person it will contact me. Shht... no one but me will be able to authorize those withdrawals." He handed them each a small chit. "These are codes to use if you need to use your accounts remotely, add those numbers to the end of the string. The apps for your tools will be updated with those codes if you pass them under this machine here along with another layer of protection for those listed accounts. Shht ... if those codes aren't added the funds will not be released until I contact you."  
  
Thane swiped his omni tool then glanced at the code on the chip before crushing it in his hand. Shepard stared at the number for a long time before tucking her own chip into a small hidden pocket of her pants. They were showed out of the bank and Thane took her arm guiding her back down the steps.  
  
"What is it, Siha. Something has you agitated." Thane stopped and turned toward her. Shepard had a frown on her face as she looked up at him. "I didn't recognize the man. But I did recognize the way he moved and the small pin that was on his lapel. He was Systems Alliance, Spec Op,  at least one of the many branches. They are known to be guards and only answer to one office. The Ambassadorial and Delegate Committee of the Earth Parliament. What the hell is going on?"  
  


* * *

  
  
Later that evening Shepard paced in the bedroom, Thane joined her and watched as she continued to pace and swing her arms. "Why in the hell would someone from the Embassy on Earth care about someone like me, or do this to us?" He walked over to her and gently grabbed both of her hands. "I do not know. We have at least found out some more information and are on the track to find out more. We just need to be patient now, at least we have the opportunity now to be a family. They won't take that from us again."   
  
She let out a huff and sat on the end of the bed, opened her omni tool and sent a request to Anderson for a private line. Several minutes passed before the connection was placed. "Shepard, what is happening? Have you heard anything more?"  
  
"Yes, Anderson we have and it isn't good. The bank found some intel along with a vid of something that happened. Someone from the ADC sent an agent to the bank and impersonated Thane. He had the credentials, account numbers. But the teller didn't bother to check past the basics to see that the guy claiming to be Thane wasn't a drell." Anderson leaned back in his chair, _what the hell would one of them want with Shepard?_ Then he sat up and tapped his fingers on the tabletop. "Shepard, I need to check some things. I'll get back to you or if you don't hear from me before you get back to the Citadel send me a message." He didn't give her more than a nod before cutting off the connection. Her brows drew down as she closed the application.  
  


* * *

  
  
John and Aaron went with them the next morning to the Normandy to see them off. Aaron surprised Thane with a hug and telling him to take care of his mom and for both of them to hurry back home. Once back on board Thane headed up to the Captain's cabin while Shepard took care of all the small details she did before they got the clearance to leave the docks. He grinned as he saw the boxes on the small table in the lower part of the room. Shepard had yet to wear any of the outfits he had purchased for her,  now that they could be alone the opportunity hopefully will present itself. He was curious if she would prefer the purple or the red,  or if the green lace would become her favorite. Then there was the special package he had ordered from a different store and it was sitting on the chair. He opened the box, his hand running over the smooth black leather before closing the lid back up.  
  
A few minutes later the announcement came over the ship's speakers and the ground crew was to meet in thirty minutes in the conference room. He straightened his clothing as he left the room.  
  


* * *

  
  
"There has been a message sent to me from the Illusive Man. We are to go to a derelict Reaper that he had sent a scientific crew to a while ago. You won't be surprised to know that he has lost contact with them. He also told me that before he had,  the crew was able to locate and extract the IFF from it. It's the only way we can safely get through that relay,  for it to register the Normandy as a Collector vessel,  since they apparently use the same frequency. And as we have all seen,  the Collectors are nothing but tools of the Reapers. We need to stop them to cut them off from collecting more humans for whatever purpose and the whole point of this mission is to do it, to cut it off at the head. Joker,  what is the ETA to reach this thing?"  
  
"Twenty four hours, Commander. If we don't stop for bathroom breaks on the trip."  
  
"Thanks, smart ass. The rest of you that still have issues of a personal nature that you want closure with, we will start doing those after we get that little item. EDI will need time to analyze it and we can do those things while she does. Dismissed."  
  
Shepard spent the rest of the day with the crew,  going over everything they would need and checking in with the ground crew. Tali told her that she needed to go to the Fleet and may not be able to join her after all. When Shepard finally got her to tell her why she almost exploded. What kind of idiot would think that Tali would be guilty of treason. She assured Tali that they would be able to get there,  as a matter of fact she made sure to tell Joker to head there as soon as they had the IFF in their possession. Tali gave her a grateful hug before turning back toward the console.  
  


* * *

  
  
Thane was lounging in the cabin, after having put everything they had brought on board with them away, letting his imagination run rampant. The images of Shepard in the tiny scraps of lingerie walking around the cabin, teased him mercilessly. The ones where she laid on the bed, her own hands running over the silk adorning her body as he sat on the couch and watched, brought him to a rather uncomfortable state as he was still in his leathers. But the one that really got his blood pumping was her wearing the contents of that last box. When his mind started down that path he let out a groan, his hands moving to the fastening of his pants. He had released the top two when the part of his mind that was always alert to his surroundings registered the opening of the cabin door. His eyes snapped open and he waited as his hand fixed the fastenings together again.  
  
"Thane? Where did all these boxes come from? What are you up to now?" Shepard asked him as she walked down into the lower room, she noticed the way his eyes tracked her, the way his breathing was a bit faster than normal. Then she noticed the rather prominent bulge in his tight leather pants. She gave a small swallow, seeing him notice the tell tale sign. "They are gifts for you, wife. It would bring me great pleasure to finally see you wearing one of the outfits." Her eyes flicked from his to the piles of boxes now understanding what they contained. More of the lace and silk garments. "Put one on, Siha." His voice had become even lower toned, the dual sounds more guttural. She stared at him for almost a whole minute before she ran her hands over her abdomen.  
  
"Is ...is there one you want me to wear?" Her voice shook slightly and she saw the way his eyes flicked to a large box on the chair in the corner before he stood,  pulling one of the smaller boxes out from near the bottom of the pile on the table. "This one." His voice had dropped down to a near whisper as he handed it to her. His hand stroked along her arms and he leaned in toward her,  his lips barely brushing hers before standing and starting to undo the fastenings of his jacket. She backed away and headed for the bathroom,  hearing a slight hiss and chuckle coming from him as she stumbled a bit on the stairs.  
  
Once inside the bathroom she placed the box on the sink and looked at her reflection in the mirror. _Why was she still so nervous?_ Taking a deep breath she undressed then opened the box. Determined that whoever was behind this mess would no longer be an obstacle to her marriage,  to her life with the only man she had ever really loved,  and to her family.

She drew in a raspy breath as her eyes fell on the confection of silk and lace that was revealed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays. Short chapter, hope you enjoy it.

 

Shepard carefully lifted the article from the box, below it was another box that contained a set of shoes. Stiletto heels in a matching color. She wondered for a second if she could still wear them without falling and breaking her neck. She shrugged. Only one way to find out.

Thane hung up his leathers and slipped on a pair of loose silk pants that rode low on his hips. The panel near the steps, controlled not only the soft music that he had turned on, but also the lighting. He dimmed the upstairs enough that it softened the area but left the stairs visible. The downstairs was lit with the soft glow of candlelight. He was determined to make up for his selfishness.

He wanted a candlelight dinner, dancing, a moonlit stroll and finally end the night in bed making love with his wife. But that was impossible, for the most part, on the ship. So he had to make due with setting it up in this one small room. He sat out the chilled bottle of Thessia Red wine and gathered the tray he had asked Gardner to bring up when EDI told him it was left at the cabin's door. Once he had it all set up to his liking he sat back on the couch and waited for his siha.

She took a quick sonic shower before starting to put on the outfit, after slipping the shoes on, she applied makeup and walked out of the bathroom.

When Thane heard the door open he stood up and moved to the center of the room. When he caught the first glance of his wife his breath stuck in his throat.

Her hair was piled messily on top of her head, she had applied light make up to her eyes and her lips were shiny with gloss. His eyes moved down to the lace collar that was wrapped around her throat, shot through with the red silk ribbon that would be tied in the back. A small ruby red crystal drop hung from the center.

Once more his eyes drifted downward, the cream lace of the jacket encased her arms down to her wrists where the silk half mitts began, leaving those fingertips bare to run across his scales and send shivers along his spine. The jacket tied with a matching red silk ribbon just below her breasts. The cut of the jacket left her abdomen bare to his gaze, the tail of the jacket ended at the curve of her buttocks. The small gleaming red navel gem twinkled in the candlelight as she moved toward him.

He swallowed as his eyes took in the cream silk of the panties, held on by a string of ruby red crystals on each side that rested at the curve of her hipbones. Her legs were encased by cream silk stockings, the red ribbon woven through the lace tops was tied snugly around her thighs. His gaze drifted down her shapely legs to find the shoes that he had known the moment he saw them that they would be perfect, bringing her height up to match his.

He fought his body, he reached into the pool of calmness that the Compact had instilled in him for carrying out his assignments, and used it to keep his raging body under some semblance of control. He needed to show her he wanted more than just to be inside her, that he wanted things to be like they were, loving and caring. He needed to do it right this time.

His body snapped into action when he saw her wobble on the stairs. He caught her in his arms as she stumbled a bit. She let out a laugh, "do you have any idea just how long it's been since I wore anything but combat boots and running shoes?"

He gave her a grin, his eyes sparkled in the candlelight, "I am thinking it has been years, Siha." He couldn't resist placing a tender kiss on her lips. He fought back the growl that was forming in his throat, and stopped the kiss before it could grow deeper. He took her by the hand after he made sure she was steady and guided her over to the small table he had set up for them.

Her eyes took in the candles and the dinner, the soft sensual music that was playing in the room. He had gone to great lengths for this night.

He poured the wine and uncovered her plate, letting the steam carry the enticing smells of her dinner to her. The music was low, barely above the small clinks that sounded from their silverware as they ate. He ordered Gardner to make small portions and he was glad he did. Neither one seemed to interested in the food. Their eyes roaming over each other, and if the small touches of their hands were any indication, food was the last thing on their minds.

When Shepard laid her utensils down and took the last sip of wine from the glass, he stood up and walked with her to the couch. "I shall be right back, siha." He quickly gathered the dishes placing them outside of the door along with the collapsible table and chairs they had used. It left the area in front of the bed uncluttered.

He walked to her and held out his hand slowly pulling her to her feet and into his arms as he guided her to the center and started a slow dance. His hand gliding along the lace of the jacket as her silk covered palm skimmed over his shoulder to his neck, where her fingertips brushed his frill causing him to shiver. That silk covered palm smoothed its way to the back of his head, stroking the ridges there as he felt the butterfly soft kisses she placed on his ribbing. His low moan was heard and she felt him stirring against her, growing harder as she let her tongue trace a path gently up along his ribbing.

His hand moved from her lower back, down to gently cup her buttocks and press her even closer to him. "Jane", his voice barely above a whisper as she pressed her lips against his, her tongue stroking along the seam and slipping in between when he opened to her. Somehow he kept them dancing until the end of the softly played song.

They ended up standing in front of the bed. His eyes searched hers before he took one step back and slowly lifted one of her hands to strip the mitt from it. Placing kisses on her knuckles and against her palm before doing the same with the other hand. Another kiss to her lips as his hand reached for the ribbon holding her jacket closed. Several long, lingering kisses as he gently ran his hands along her shoulders then slipping his fingers under the lace to ease it down her arms to float to the floor, leaving her bare to his gaze.

"You are as beautiful to me today as you were all those years ago, Jane." His own fingertips, callused as they were from his work with guns and his other training, brushed over her body, raising small bumps along her skin. Her nipples growing hard under their touch and the heat of his gaze.

He took a step and brought their bodies together, their lips meeting. His one hand moved to the back of her hair, pulling the pins from it and letting it softly fall to her shoulders, his fingers weaving among the strands. His other hand moved along her skin, over her back, her side, pulled her tighter against him as their kisses changed to ones more demanding. His lips left hers to skim along her jaw pressing along her neck before gently nipping at the nape causing her to groan and clutch at his shoulders.

He bent slightly and carefully lifted and cradled her to him as he walked to the side of the bed. He shifted bringing one knee up on the bed and laying her down. He walked around putting out all of the candles but for the ones near the bed. By the time he made it back his body was under control and he eased his pants down his hips as she watched and joined her on the bed.

She let out a sigh as his lips met hers and his hand once more started to bring her body alive with need. As his fingertips skimmed across the mound between her thighs she let out a shiver and he started to kiss his way down her body, stopping to lick at her nipples as his fingertips stroked gently along the dewy seam at her center. He spent a few seconds at her navel, swirling his tongue around the gem before traveling finally to the spot she was aching for him to kiss.

"The scent of your arousal is more intoxicating to me than that of the wine we had earlier, wife." His lips were brushing against her as he spoke. She let out a gasp and raised her hips to him slightly. He gave a chuckle and shifted, his tongue moved along her over the silk causing her to moan. He slipped his fingers along her hips, up under the silk of the panties to the string of stones and eased them down, her hips lifted to help him. He slid them down and eased them off her before dropping them off the end of the bed. His hand lingered on the silk covering her legs, fingers teased along the lace edge before moving back to her and finding her hot and so very, very moist.

His fingers teased, and circled as his mouth placed kisses along her abdomen. Finally she moved her hand to his head and guided him to where she wanted his mouth to be, he gave a slight chuckle before his tongue swept along her causing her hips to buck and a cry to escape. His tongue licked, and his lips suckled at her until he felt her break and let the orgasm wash over her. He closed his eyes for a moment, before he shifted higher, his body covering hers.

He gave her light, gentle kisses as her body calmed, when her eyes opened and he felt the touch of her hand on his head he moved once again. This time his hips flexed and he slid into her heat, the aftershocks of her orgasm squeezing him as he started slow thrusts into her. She opened to him wider bringing her silk clad legs up to wrap around his waist. He felt her shoes graze his back and gave a shudder and a harder thrust. Pushing her legs higher until they were draped over his shoulders and he began to thrust harder his growls growing deeper, harsher as his body drew closer to his own orgasm.

He heard her panting by his head, "again, Jane. I need you to cum for me. Give it to me before I fill you." His whispering growl stirred the small hairs along her neck and ear. Her cry as he shifted bringing himself to his knees and sending himself as deep and hard as he could. His fingers moving to stroke her clit. He hissed as she clamped tight and hard around him as her second orgasm rolled over her. Her cry loud in the room, as he thrust once, twice and pushed hard and deep once last time before emptying himself in her as she continued to pulse around him. When her body eased enough that he could withdraw he lowered her legs down and carefully removed her shoes and rolled her stockings down before dropping them to the floor and moving back up to her side. Covering them both with a blanket.

Her eyes opened as she felt him brushing the sweat dampened hair from her face and place tiny kisses to her forehead, temples and cheeks finally her lips. She let out a sigh as she turned in his arms and wrapped hers around him, holding him tight to her. They stayed that way as he felt her relax into sleep, once he knew she wouldn't wake he whispered that he loved her and drifted off still holding her as close to him as he could.


	13. Chapter 13

* * *

 

"Admiral Hackett, sir, you have a vid comm call from Councilor Anderson. Sending it to your private terminal." Hackett looked up from the datapad he was studying and gave the Ensign a nod before he headed to his quarters.

"Councilor, what can I do for you?"

"Admiral, by now you have heard that Shepard is back and is out hunting down the Collectors?" Anderson crossed his arms and put them on his desk as he watched the other man lean back against his chair.

"Yes, I heard that. I also heard it involves the Reapers?"

Anderson gave him a brief nod, "I'll get straight to the point. When Shepard was here on the Citadel she came to see me with a most unusual companion. Her husband, Thane Krios. He is on the mission with her." He watched Hackett sit forward in his chair.

"The assassin?" _Shit_.

"Yes. What is even stranger was they brought some documents with them. Someone tampered with her records, erased her marriage and apparently refused to acknowledge the legal documents that were shown when he tried to establish contact years ago. Not only that but they brought me proof that someone or someones, have gone to great effort to keep them apart all these years." His eyes narrowed as he looked at the other man. "They also showed me proof that the Ambassadorial and Delegate Committee of the Earth Parliament sent in one of their operatives to impersonate him and to interfere, which caused her and her family great hardship. Funnily enough, all this happened around the time she was being considered for the N7 program and possible replacement as a Spectre candidate."

Hackett still hadn't said anything. Anderson sat back a bit and continued to stare at him, "you have spent more time on Arcturus and Earth than I have. You were always closer to the ones that were part of that branch than I was. I want answers Steven. What did they do? And more importantly why? Because I will tell you something now, we do not want to piss either of them off worse. Shepard alone would be a nightmare to try and handle, if Krios finds out on his own who did this, it will be a damn bloodbath."

"I'll look into it, David. Some of the members have changed since then. It is possible that the new ones have no idea this has happened and things that were set up by the old members were never stopped."

Anderson looked at him, "we can't afford to lose Shepard in the upcoming battle. We both know it's coming and we both know that she is going to be the one to spearhead the fight. Find out and tell me, soon."

Anderson cut the call shortly after, he had the feeling that his old friend knew more than what he was saying.

Hackett stared at the empty holo screen, he told them all those years ago that it was a bad idea. That if their plans went sideways or were found out there would be hell to pay. And they refused to listen. Who in their right minds would willingly piss off the galaxy's most feared assassin and take away his family, just so they could put forth "a true human that cares for the advancement of humanity in the galactic community" and bring in more recruits?

He let out a sigh, they had chosen her the moment the reports had come in about Elysium and her role in the battle. The minute they found out that she not only married a drell, but that particular one, they had worked to tear it apart and hide it all. It had helped when she showed up pregnant, they thought it would be easier for her to forget him since she had apparently strayed sometime during those months at the clinic or shortly thereafter. There had been no reports of visits to any of the known fertilization clinics on the Citadel and according to her travel status she never left the station.

But apparently that wasn't the case. Now this shit was going to come back and bite them all in the ass and at the worst possible moment.

 

* * *

 

Hackett pulled out some old files, going over the old people that had been in the committee but was gone. He pulled out several names including the prior Ambassador, after all it had originally been her idea and was backed by the others, including Udina. It was the current Ambassador that had kept up the pressure, had told them to remove all of the documents. It was Udina that had them block the extranet messages and forge the bank notice. Said it would make her hate the drell and turn away from the aliens and be more malleable to their human goals. She was the one they picked and would be put forth for Spectre, they would be able to better control her should she be a single mother with no support or contact from her famous... infamous ...husband.

Hackett looked over the file that Anderson had sent and frowned at the fallout that had happened, lost their home, medical bills were astronomical and she had no income other than her military pay and her brother's salary at the shipyard. And according to one of the other files that he had dug into, they had blocked her requests for military assistance with her son.

After reading all of the files, and seeing the damage that they had done to the woman he tapped his fingers on his desk, then made a decision. He wrote an anonymous letter outlining everything the Ambassadors and Committee members had done. Included timelines and names, the "reasons" given. Then carefully packaged a file containing the most pertinent information and encrypted it. He had warned them, now with the Reapers getting ever closer they needed Shepard. They needed every damn fighter they could get, and if that happened to be a drell assassin, so be it, all the politicians ever did was slow them down and get in their way.

 

* * *

 

Shepard and Thane sat in their cabin and watched as Aaron showed them his report from the Institute. He was progressing even more rapidly now that he had realized that he wasn't so different, well not to his father's people. They talked about his chores and Thane reiterated he needed to be wiser in the spending of his allowance when he told them that John had taken him to a store to shop as a good job reward. He had wanted something a bit more expensive than what John was willing to pay and in order to get it he had to pay for it himself, John purchased a few accessories that went with it. Aaron nodded, told him he understood and he wouldn't spend another credit after that unless it was necessary, "but it sure felt nice to get something new instead of used".

"When are you coming home? You've been gone almost two weeks now." Aaron asked as he sat cross legged on his bed. Shepard frowned when she saw what she swore was varren paws going up in the air behind him.

"We estimate another week yet. There is a short job that had come through and we want to get it out of the way first. Please tell me that Urz is not on your bed."

"Uh... no, he's not on the bed." They watched as he wiggled around then used his foot to push something. A loud wumpfh of something heavy hitting the floor sounded in the room and Aaron cleared his throat.

"Aaron. What did I tell you about that."

He grinned and shrugged, "he's pretty insistent, plus it makes me feel better with him so close when you guys aren't here. Oh, Uncle John wanted me to tell you that there was a rather large delivery made the other day from Uncle Wrex. The note on it said, "this is for the whelp's varren. It's pyjack meat." It was disgusting. But at least he remembered to package it up instead of, you know, just dumping it in there. And before you ask, yes I sent him a thank you note from me and Urz along with some holos of us together."

They spoke for a while longer then disconnected the call.

The ETA for arrival at the reported smuggler base was in five hours. Thane didn't want to waste any time and started nibbling her earlobe. They had gone through every one of the boxes, except for the large one that he had slid under the bed.

"Are you ever going to let me see what is in that box?"

Thane chuckled before kissing his way down her neck to her breasts. "One day, Shepard, just not today. The garment inside of there, demands more than just a few hours before being replaced by armor."

She hummed and it changed to groans as he growled and settled between her thighs. He held her hands trapped above her head and when she went to say more, he hissed and she stopped talking. It was clear it was one of those times when his more dominate mating side was emerging. She relaxed and he hummed. His growl was low in her ear as he thrust hard into her body, her back arching into him and his pleased hums grew in volume as his body took hers, hard and fast. Shifting and stroking her clit until she cried out and he hissed before withdrawing and bringing her to her knees before him and thrusting back inside. She felt his hand on the back of her neck holding her head down on the bed. A slight squeeze if she tried to rise, gentled when she relaxed into the hard movements of his body. When he reached his own orgasm, he let out a groan and ran his hand from her neck gently down her back and then back up before withdrawing.

 

* * *

 

The day before they were scheduled to return to the Citadel Shepard sent a note to Anderson letting him know they would be there for two days, they couldn't spare more than that because there was something they needed to do for one of their crew members and time was of the essence. He sent back an acknowledgement and a set time for them to meet, he had some information for them.

She passed on the information to Thane who nodded, his face as ever was calm and composed but his eyes, once you learned to read them, held a fire. All she could think was this better be something that helped to solve what was going on. If not she had a terrible feeling that Thane would be making contacts of his own and this might not end without bloodshed.

 

* * *

 

When they walked into Anderson's office and he scrambled any vid or audio listening device he handed her a packet. "I've read through the documents, they come from a source... close to the ones behind your troubles. Know that I had no idea they did this or I would have told you. As it is, I will do everything in my power to help correct this, to support you both in however you chose to ... deal with the ones that did this to you. Off the record." He moved to the window overlooking the Presidium as he heard the rattle of the envelope opening. He tensed as he heard the throaty growl and hiss that came from the assassin and the "son of a bitch" that came from Shepard.

"Those bastards did this because I fell in love and married a drell? Because he was chosen as a child to become what he is?" She shoved the packet at Thane and stalked over to Anderson. "Why? Why Anderson?"

He sighed, "they must have chosen you almost straight out of the Academy. The dates ... remember when you went after Saren, and I told you that I had a chance at becoming a Spectre and failed? The only reason I can really think of, and it isn't a very good one as no reason is worth what they did, was they didn't want to take the chance of Krios' background working against you. Working against their plans for you, Shepard. That he happened to be ill and fall into a coma made it easier to manipulate the way things went. Had I know what they did I would have told you when you accepted the N7 recruitment. I never would have pushed had I known he was in a coma."

She stared at him and shook her head, God how she hated politicians and the crap they felt they could do to others without a thought past how it was to their own benefit. She turned and headed back to Thane who was still looking over the documents. She knew that ever letter, each picture and date was now in his mind and from the way his fingers tightened on the papers his outward calm was covering a seething, boiling mass of rage and anger that he wouldn't show to others. When his eyes met hers it was with an icy calmness and a promise of retribution.

 

* * *

 

They waited until after their short break was over before speaking of matters, they didn't want the time they had to spend with their son overshadowed by this news. They were on the way to the Migrant Fleet to help out Tali when he finally brought it up.

"What are we going to do about this Shepard. What they did to us and to Aaron is unforgivable. I will not overlook it or let it go, as you humans say." Thane sat on the couch the packet of papers that he had memorized sat on the small table in front of them.

"I don't know, Thane. With having to deal with everyone's personal needs, trying to find a way to get through the Omega-4 relay and safely back is what I am concerned with at the moment. Then the Reaper threat looming ever closer." She sighed and settled back against the couch, his arm tightened around her. "Let's just take care of this first, then we can plan on how to make those bastards realize that fucking with us was the wrong move."

He let out a hum and continued to stroke her upper arm with his fingers, his mind already steps ahead of her. He just had to bide his time and cash in some old favors to get intel on where those humans were and what their security force consisted of. Even the stain of blackness, that would be etched on his soul from enacting his vengeance upon the ones responsible for the time loss with his wife and son, the pain they had gone through thinking he had abandoned them and the sense of loss and anguish he had, when he thought she had left him, was a price he was willing to pay.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Giving fair warning so please pay attention:
> 
> The actions of Shepard and Thane in this story to avenge the wrongs did to them and to their son may not be to everyone's head canon on how they would react. I don't want to sound bitchy... but my story, my way of enacting their war against these people.
> 
> Now, thanks to everyone reading and for those that left me kudo's and comments, they are greatly appreciated.

* * *

 

 

After Tali's mission was finished Shepard received a communication from Cerberus. An encrypted document for Liara so they headed to Nos Astra to see her again. While Shepard spoke to her, Thane made a few discreet inquiries of his own. Shortly after he sent his last message Shepard joined him. "Siha, is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Just something that Liara needs done that's personal and big. Look, we need to stay around Nos Astra for a while, Liara wants to see me at her apartment later tonight. And she said something about a rescue mission instead of revenge. The intel that Cerberus gave her had something to do with another drell, someone named Feron." She sent a message to Garrus and asked him to join them then told him what was going on. They hung around the market area and bought a few things for Aaron before it was time to go see Liara.

When they arrived they were greeted with police and a barrier into the apartment. They were also greeted by an asari spectre. She told Shepard what they had found so far and that Liara had waited around for several minutes, she figured that she must have left a message or something, she just didn't know where to look. So they spent awhile looking, Garrus keeping an eye out for another attack, Thane keeping an eye on the spectre and also on Shepard. Something didn't set quite right with that asari.

They found an osd with a call on it from someone that gave the possible coordinates to find the Shadow Broker and they heard Liara say she would meet the guy at a trade center, the other spectre told her she knew where it was and they could go in her car. When they got there everything seemed normal and quiet, until a bomb went off and destroyed several floors and injuring quite a few people that were milling around outside the building.

They rushed in and found an unexploded bomb and bullet holes, once they found the location of the office building Liara was supposed to be in they let the other spectre know then entered. They were confronted by several mercenaries. When Shepard said something the sneer in the voice from the other spectre sent a warning signal to Thane. Garrus seemed to have picked up on it too as he glanced at the assassin then set his mandibles in tighter to his face. This was going to get really ugly.

They had yet to run into the other spectre, they made it to the last door on the floor and Garrus went to pick the lock when they heard the gun shot. Thane sent a warning look to Garrus and they burst through the door, seeing the spectre holding a gun on a mercenary. How she had got into the room they didn't know, the door was locked and there wasn't another way in. Thane glanced at all the vents and noticed that not a single one was open. She had to have been let in.

Moments later Liara came in and told them that it was the other asari that had tried to kill her, everyone weapons were pointed at the spectre and she broke the glass behind her, sending the shards toward them. Shepard ran through the barrier that Liara had created and tackled the asari before she could jump through the window. They ended up chasing her through the city in a car and finally after Shepard rammed the other car hard enough it crashed into a resort.

They were met with more of the Shadow Broker's mercs and fought through them finally ending up inside the resort. Shepard did a double take at the giant view screen of a bunch of exotic dancers and made a comment on it. Thane raised an eye ridge and told her there were much nicer places than this to stay in Nos Astra. She looked at him for a second then turned away and headed for the door. She wondered for a moment if he frequented places like this often.

They found the asari spectre in an outdoor eatery holding a female hostage. After Shepard held her attention long enough, Liara hit her with a table and sent her flying further from the bystanders. Thane helped to get them to safety as the other two fought the spectre finally ending the fight with the retrieval of the information and the death of the asari spectre. Liara told her that they could use the Normandy to get to the Broker's base and rescue Feron. Shepard confronted her on how cold she was, how very different. Liara didn't feel much like talking she just wanted to get to the Brokers so Shepard told her fine and called in for a shuttle to pick them up.

When they made it to where the Broker was, they looked out the window of the shuttle, the ship was surrounded by lightning. Shepard was starting to have her doubts about all this. They fought through mercs and Liara hacked her way into the base. From there more fighting until finally they found the drell hooked to a machine that would keep him alive, or shock him at the Broker's whim. They laid waste to everything in their path to reach the Broker, what they found was a huge yahg and he tried to taunt Shepard and Thane with information on who was behind the mess that happened to them, that he would gladly make it permanent. Shepard laughed, "we already have that intel so how about if we just make you permanently disappear."

Liara and Shepard took down the large creature using a combination of biotics and sheer muscle power. Once they figured out his strategy they used biotics to bring down a liquid onto a high powered barrier that was thrown up to knock Shepard back from him. Shepard panicked when Thane didn't move after being slammed by a heavy marble table, "Thane... Thane come on don't do this now." She let out a sigh as he groaned and hissed.

Liara made the announcement that due to a systems upgrade there was a slight power failure, but everything was back to normal and she wanted a update on all current activities. Feron came in pointing a pistol at her then figured out that she had taken over as the Broker. Feron and Thane both limped into one of the back rooms in order to take care of their injuries while Liara and Shepard spoke.

"Liara, are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, Shepard. With all this intel at my fingertips I can help you. Really help you in the coming war."

"Alright. There is one thing that I would ask, name your price. I need information."

Liara looked at her then nodded, "alright, just give me the details and some time. I need to rebuild this network and go through everything. Along with fixing the damage we did to this ship."

Shepard gave her a small smile then went in search of Thane. She whispered something to him then he headed back to the Normandy. She spoke with Feron as she waited and learned a bit about what happened between him and Liara. When Thane returned she excused herself with wishes for him to get well and that they would come by to see him again soon.

"Liara, we need information on these people. Their whereabouts, schedules, security details. Everything to be able to find and take care of some old family business."

Liara frowned then pulled out the documents, quickly scanning them. "I'll double check this intel, then set about finding out more. But Shepard, you know this may take me a little while."

"We still have more business to take care of, then the Omega relay. After we return let us know if you need more. But we want the specifics on everyone behind this."

They spoke for a little while longer then left. Shepard pushed Thane toward the medical bay pretending not to hear his growling then went up to shower and get ready for the next place they needed to get to.

When they returned from Pragia there was a message for her. The Illusive Man wished to speak to her. He told her about a Reaper corpse that they had found and subsequently lost contact with the science team that was sent aboard, it contained the IFF that they would need to get through the Omega-4 Relay. She had a bad feeling about the whole thing, just like she had when he had told her about the Collector ship. She let the crew know then picked her team. They would need to be ready for anything when they got there.

 

* * *

 

Even though they thought they were ready... finding a talking geth was not something that they could actually plan for. At least the unit seemed to be willing to talk and work with them. Tali had issues with "Legion" after they had returned from a mission to try and stop what it called the heretic geth from infecting the rest of them with a virus. She yelled at them to suck it up, they better learn to work together or the Reapers would win. Neither one said anything as both of them didn't want that to happen.

The next morning EDI informed her that the IFF had been installed and that they should take the shuttle for their next mission. It would give them time to finish up the testing. About 6 hours later Shepard received a message from EDI telling her that the ship had been attacked by the Collectors and they had lost the entire crew except for Joker, he was the one that helped EDI to save the ship at least.

Joker told them what happened and was rudely interrupted by Miranda who tried to blame everything on him. EDI corrected her and Shepard told her to shut the hell up. They spent the rest of the day cleaning up part of the ship and preparing for the Relay jump.

"Janie? What's going on? It's awfully late for you to be calling ... unless, what happened?" John had been asleep when she called, she quickly told him what happened and they asked to talk with Aaron.

Aaron stumbled out to the vid screen, rubbing his eyes and yawning, then scratched his head, "hey Mom, Dad. What's going on?"

"Aaron, we just wanted to let you know that we are getting ready to go into the most dangerous part of our mission. We won't be able to call you from here on out until we are back. So we wanted to see you, tell you how much we loved and missed you."

"Wait... you guys said you'd be back soon though. Now you aren't? What happened? And no tiptoeing around the truth Mom."

"Alright. The Normandy was attacked and except for Joker the entire ship crew was taken. We are going after them to get them back. But in order to do so, we have to go through a Relay that is unmapped. No one has been there and returned. But we will. We have the best ship and the best crew and we will get in there, get them back and come home just as soon as we can."

He stood there staring at the both. The way they stared back holding each others hand tightly, his eyes didn't miss anything. Not the way his Mother was shaking, or the way his Father kept blinking. They were worried and there was nothing he could do.

"Alright, I'll be here waiting for you guys to call. I know you will get them back, Mom and I know that with Dad there to protect you, that you will both be back soon. I love you guys too." They said their goodnights and he went back to bed. John found him hugging Urz, who was up on the bed, but didn't have the heart to tell him to get down.

"Try and get some rest, Aaron. It's going to be a while before we hear back from them, best to rest up now while we can."

John had just entered his own bedroom when a ping came through on his omni tool.

_"John,_

_We know who was behind the problems with the family. We have someone verifying the information and will contact us with more details. If we don't make it back, the information will be given to you. It's up to you what you decide to do with it. Our wills and documents have been encoded and are in a safe place. They will also be forwarded to you in the event of our deaths. Take care of my boy, John._

_Love you both very much,_

_Jane"_

 

* * *

  
Neither Aaron nor John felt much like eating, they barely slept, so worried about the others. Urz picked up on their emotions and sat by Aaron's chair, not really doing much other than lean on his leg. "Did you want to go out shopping or maybe go watch the new Blasto movie?"

Aaron shook his head, the spoon he held in his hand smashing the odd colored fruit into a pulpy mess. John wasn't much better, his fork moving the now cold eggs around on his plate. "Alright, I'll send a message to the Institute to let them know you aren't feeling well, I'll get them to send the full weeks assignments and we can work on them off and on. It will help to keep your mind occupied on something else other than your Mom and Dad."

Aaron shrugged, checked his omni tool for any messages then asked to be excused.

The rest of the week wasn't much better. Finally one morning a call came through from Liara. "John? Is Aaron there? He should hear this as well." She waited until he called for Aaron, who came running out of his room and slammed into John as he skidded to a halt and Urz slid across the floor trying to stop in time but failing. "Now that all of you are there. I just received a signal from a source. The Normandy was spotted coming out of the relay. Their communications aren't working at the moment and the ship is in bad shape. They are slowly making their way to Omega. Once they can get everything repaired enough I'm sure they'll contact you." She smiled at the sighs of relief and the huge grins on their faces.

Two days later they called John and let them know they made it and hadn't lost any of the survivors from the initial attack, they were due to return to the Citadel in three days to get the ship fully repaired.

 

* * *

 

"Liara what information do you have for us?" Shepard asked the asari as she sat at her desk. The holo screen flickered for a moment then a data transfer was sent.

"This is everything I could dig up in the time there was. The intel you were given is valid, although a few key pieces were conveniently left out. Like how your Admiral Hackett knew about this as it happened, before Thane had even went into the coma. That the prior Ambassador was the one to initiate this. That several of the Alliance Defense Committee members were collaborating with this whole farce. They were the ones pushing Anderson to get you into the N7 program and not let you have time to find the doctors or Thane. They also were the ones that gave access to your Alliance records to the current Ambassador to make sure the changes stayed that way. Not all members of the current ADC know about this. I also found the name of the person that went into the bank and impersonated Thane. Udina was behind that as well. I don't think Hackett knew about that part, I would like to think knowing that it would cause you such hardship that he would have done something about it. Then again, who knows."

Shepard read over the datapad that now contained the intel and passed it to Thane.

"Give me another month to do recon on these people, learn their habits and current locations. I'll send you the intel as soon as I get it."

"Alright, we need a vacation anyway, and I'm sure Aaron would want to spend more time with Thane. Keep in touch Liara."

When they reached the Citadel they were met by Aaron and John. Aaron ran at them and threw his skinny arms around as much of them as he could. John reacted a bit more sedately with a "welcome back sis," and a handshake with Thane.

"Come on both of you, let's get home, we have a lot to talk about over the next week while they fix and repaint the ship, get that blasted Cerberus crap off it."

Over the next week they rested and talked to both Aaron and John, they did leave out certain things that Aaron didn't need to know at his young age, but they could at least give him some of the answers to his questions.

Long after Aaron went to bed the sat and spoke with John. "We've decided to take a vacation on Earth. Thane wants to see a desert and I want to give them time to be Father and Son. I forwarded a copy of everything I got from that base to the Council and Alliance. Though if they take it seriously or not, I don't know, but not counting on it. We are also deciding what we want to do with this information, and would like your input as it has also affected you as well."

"Honestly, I like to beat the shit out of each one of them for this. Especially that damned Udina. But it's not feasible. They do need to be punished for their crimes. But they are going to be well guarded, certainly better than they normally would be if they got wind of you having this information."

Thane made a humming noise and gave a brief nod of agreement. "This is true. We have someone checking their daily activities, if it seems to change we will be notified of that as well. Until we receive this information we can not truly plan. So I believe we should spend the next month together being a family. Once we see what they are doing and as time goes by they will relax. It has been so for most of my targets. They come to believe they are safe, untouchable... they are not."

 

* * *

 

At the end of the week they packed up their things and loaded them into the newly repainted Normandy. Joker warned her that there was scuttlebutt that as soon as the ship enters Alliance space it would be taken and anyone on board would be arrested. As such only the bare bones crew was there. Joker, Doctor Chakwas and the two engineers. Everyone else included the non humans stayed behind.

"No problems, Joker." She showed him a set of coordinates. "The Alliance is probably monitoring the tower communications. Set up for leaving, heading to the Sol system, instead, after the first relay jump go here, then you take the ship in. Don't worry about us." Shepard gently patted the pilot's chair then took the others on a tour. Thane sat in the navigator's chair and listened to the chatter on the comms. "Siha, it was as we guessed. They are relaying our leaving, EDI has tapped into their systems. They will be massing near the Sol Relay with the sole purpose of arresting you for treason and confiscating the Normandy."

"Treason... what a crock of shit. She comes back without asking, gets tossed into a mess because the Alliance won't listen and doesn't seem to care that their people are disappearing without a trace. Gathers a crew of the most unlikely people and turns them into a cohesive fighting force, the likes which this galaxy probably hasn't seen in thousands of years. Once again does the impossible and comes out to be told she is a traitor. Typical." Joker muttered from his seat. "Commander, ETA to your destination is 30 minutes."

"Copy that, Joker. Thane come down to the shuttle bay. Once the transport docks we have less than 5 minutes to get on board and off this ship so it doesn't arouse too much suspicion. Joker, take it nice and leisurely going to the Sol relay. We need as much time as you can give us to get docked with the carrier and to Earth as you can give us."

"Aye, Aye. Commander. Have a nice vacation."

 

* * *

 

Shepard stepped off the cargo ship, her once glorious hair now a muted shade of non descriptive, highly forgettable brown, as was Aaron's. John on the other hand was sporting a severe buzz cut and had dark blue eyes instead of the piercing shade of light blue. "So, Mr. Nuara, welcome to Arizona, in what use to be called the United States of America."

Thane took a hold of her hand bringing it to wrap around his inner arm, "thank you for the welcome, Mrs. Nuara. I am sure this is a lovely vacation spot for our family."

"For gosh sakes, stop being so corny." Aaron rolled his eyes at his parents and called for Urz who had started to wander away from where their skycar was parked.

After getting settled into their rental they contacted Liara and let her know. She told them she had some information but not enough and still working on it. Another week went by when she contacted them late at night.

"Sending you information. What you do with it is up to you. If you need anything at all contact me. I owe you more than you can possibly imagine."

They read over it and Thane stood up beginning to pace. "Siha, I know you do not approve of my past. But please hear me out. The man who impersonated me, who caused you pain in believing that I had abandoned you without funds, he is here, on Earth. Within hours of this place. I can take care of business and be back before dawn."

"No. Don't you think they will be on the look out for a drell. Your species is rare on the Citadel, you stick out here. You are probably the only drell to have set foot on Earth in who knows how long, if ever." She stood up and went to him, placing her hands on his tense shoulders and looking into his deep black eyes.

"I told you I will not let this pass. They will be made to pay for what they did to us."

"I agree fully with you, Thane. That is why you aren't going to take care of this. I am. They will be looking for a drell, not a woman. You read the man's dossier. He has a penchant for visiting the nightclubs known for their upper class merchandise. I will be able to blend in. But not tonight. In the morning, when you have Aaron down at the pool, I'll call Liara. I need proper attire and she will need to pull some strings to get me close to him and back out."

"No, Siha. I will not have my wife going to that, unsavory place, especially not as a prostitute. It is too dangerous. I will not allow another man to have you. To think he will take what is mine."

"Thane, there will be nothing taken. I plan on getting him drunk, get him to buy me for a few hours, into a room then take care of him, and not in a sexual way. No guns, no knives. Nothing that will look anything out of the ordinary about a man passed out from too much drink and a hard romp between the sheets. Trust me."

He looked at her, then drew her in for a hard kiss. "I will give you a list of items for her to send to you. I will give you the concoction to put on his skin, preferably scratching him with your nails, just enough to break the skin. The poison takes about 20 minutes to work, so you must be somewhere out of sight of others, then hold him off for that long. Preferably with your clothes on and his hands far from your body."

She gave a chuckle and he kissed her again before picking her up and taking her to their room, he felt the need to lay claim to her again.

 

* * *

 

John had Aaron stay in his wing of the house that night, he didn't want him waking up and seeing Shepard sneaking out dressed like a floozie. They had gone over their plan several times and when they saw the outfit that Liara had sent, Thane almost hit the roof. "No. You are not going out like that. The lingerie I purchased for you conceals more than that outfit. We shall think of something else. A sniper round should do it. Go change into your regular clothing. The plan has changed."

She shook her head, "no, it hasn't. The plan will work and it will be done just as we laid it out. John will go with me and act as a customer in the place. This outfit will ensure the guy takes notice of me and buys a date for a few hours. That will mean the room will be left alone for a long time after I leave it. John will then pick me up and we go towards the back room, only we slip out the back door instead. Liara has a scout posted there, as soon as we indicate we are heading his way he'll bypass the codes and we get the hell out of Dodge."

"Siha, you're not going to Dodge, the place is call Las Vegas."

John started laughing and didn't stop until their skycar was almost to the nightclub and casino. He dropped her off then found the spot that was set up for them concealed behind a deserted building several blocks over.

Shepard made sure her gloves were in place, she didn't want to accidentally scratch an innocent bystander, before she started to work the crowd. Talking with one woman, smiling at a man before moving on. The tiny earbud let out a bit of static before John let her know he was in the room and where he was. She kept walking, seeing the way peoples eyes were drawn to the lace and leather scraps that barely covered her body.

"I see him, he's in the corner at a table getting a lap dance from a blonde." She slowly made her way over near him, her hips swaying, the red stained lips giving him a small smile as her hand brushed across her taunt abdomen. She settled in the booth next to his, the short skirt sliding further up and revealing a long length of thigh. Her finger slid along her collarbone while her eyes met his. The small, pink tip of her tongue peeked out and she saw his eyes following the path of it around her lips.

A few minutes later she watched as he pushed the blonde from his lap and crook his finger at her. She raised an eyebrow at him and gave a smirk before sliding from her booth, just a quick flash of panty before her skirt covered it. She slid into the booth careful to keep a bit of distance between them as protocol demanded until he indicated he was possibly interested in hiring her.

John was still on his first drink, watching them from the shadows where he was leaning against a wall, he had already turned away several offers knowing that they weren't licensed. Liara had made it clear which ones should be working the club, how they acted and what they said. He frowned as another man joined them at the booth. Shepard shook her head then started to slide out of the booth, the target reached out and grabbed her wrist.

John tensed then saw the bouncer moving toward them. Liara told them that the bouncer and bartender were on her payroll and they would help keep an eye out. The man quickly let her go and she started to slide out. This was falling apart fast. Then he relaxed slightly when the man made a motion at the other one, the unknown man got up and left. Shepard went back to her original position. Several minutes later he saw the funds transfer into the disposable omni tool and Shepard smile as they slid out of the booth. He grinned as he watched her slipping off her glove and drag her hand up the dark haired man's arm and into his hair. He jerked slightly, then gave her a feral grin as he led her to the back rooms where the rest of the business would be conducted.

John set the time on his omni tool, in just over 20 minutes she should come out from that back room and make her way over to him to start chatting him up.

 

* * *

  
The man's hand moved over her side to cup her ass and Shepard had to remind him the rules of the club. "Now you don't want to get kicked out before the fun starts. I've seen you here before so you know the way it works."

Shepard moved to the room at the far end of the hallway, passing by several with the red lights already activated. "My assigned room is right down here, then we can start our date." She gave him a smirking glance, the shine of her lip gloss catching his eye. She moved slightly in front of him, her hips swaying and the high heels she was wearing made her legs look a mile long and gave her ass a heart shape. Thane had once said, even to him, a different species, her ass was perfection in those heels. She slid the key card that was in the box of things Liara had sent and the door slid open.

After the door closed she input the code then set a timer on her omni tool. "As per our agreement, I will go in for a quick sonic shower while you undress. When I come out, I will start the time running. And as you have probably heard many times, but it's the law, the transaction and our verbal agreements on what is acceptable and what is not, has been recorded. Anything outside of those arrangements will be deemed as special services and will be charged appropriately. Any damage to my body will be noted and complaints filed, recompense will be removed from the account on record and you will have a flag put onto your status record."

He grabbed her and tried to kiss her, she quickly turned her head, "ah ah... rule number one, remember, no kissing. Non negotiable." He let out a growl then pushed her away, she walked slowly toward the bathroom, her hands reaching back for the zipper inching its way down her back. She heard him start to remove his clothes as she shut the door, two minutes later her zipper was back up and she hit the button for the shower. It had taken them 8 minutes to get to the room, then another 5 for the shower. That left her with 7 minutes to figure out how to keep him from trying to take her clothes off.

When the shower turned off she wrapped a towel around her making sure her dress was covered and slipped off her shoes before opening the door. "Your turn, darlin', I'll even give you a few extra minutes to make up for the delay, no charge." She reached over and slid the omni tool under the machine dispensing a condom as he hurried to the bathroom. She tossed the packet on the bed and fiddled with the lock on the bathroom. Less than two minutes later he was trying to get the door open.

"The fucking door is stuck." The man's deep voice called out through the door.

"What? It was just fine, hold on, maybe it's something on this side. And don't worry, sugar the time isn't running yet." She beat on the door and pushed the keypad buttons randomly. Finally after another three minutes she put in the correct code and the door opened and he came storming out. "That's the first time that stuck. I'll inform the maintenance people on the way back out. Now why don't you get on that bed and grab the silver packet and get ready for the ride of your life."

She reached for the timer then turned down the lights, she heard him settle on the bed, a small beep sounded in her ear. He shifted and coughed, then saw him rub his chest. She took several slow steps toward him, sliding her hand along the opening of the towel. He coughed and hissed, rubbing his chest again. "Sugar, I don't think I ever told you my name. It's Shepard. Commander Shepard." Then his body seized up, a slight line of drool came from his mouth as he twitched then went still.

She waited the two minutes as Thane had instructed, then ran a scan on the body. No vital signs. She took off the towel and put it in the basket, using her still gloved hand to once again hit a cleaning cycle before slipping her shoes on and making her way to the door. She locked it on the way back out and met up with John. Minutes later they disposed of the crushed pieces of the omni tool and the silver packet in one of the myriad number of recycling containers and worked their way to where their car was parked. Shepard gave out a yawn and they headed home.

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading the story. Hope some of you enjoyed it. I appreciate all the kudos and comments that have been left for me.

* * *

 

 

Shepard stretched as the car landed and John opened her door. "Sis, you alright? Did you need to talk about anything before going inside?"

She paused for a moment and looked at him. "John, you know me. Normally what I just did would turn my stomach. Taking a life in a battle is one thing. Luring a man and killing him that way was another. But I view this as war. We didn't ask for any of what happened. We didn't do anything that should have caused it. The only thing we did was marry and fall in love, and that is no reason for nearly destroying an entire family."

He gave a nod then they went inside. While she removed the gloves and soaked her hands in the special mixture that Thane had poured into a bowl, John told him what happened. Shepard filled in what had happened in the room. When they were done and the scan on her hands came back clean, they disposed of the poisons and Thane carried Shepard to their room and started her a warm shower going. While she was trying to scrub herself clean of the emotions and residue of her actions he disposed of the outfit in the building's incinerator.

They watched the national news broadcasts and nothing had been said, whether it was covered up by the Committee or just not viewed as more than a john dying in a whore's bed they didn't know. Liara had contacted them with the current locations of several of the old Committee members. They read over the documents and noticed many of them were no longer associated with either the ADC nor the Alliance in any way.

"Look at the dates on these three. Less than a week after we left the facility they left the Committee. A falling out maybe? Disagreed with something the others were planning?" Shepard pointed it out to the others.

"Possibly, Siha. According to the data Liara sent, they have jobs in the civilian sector at quite a pay cut. Forced out by the others maybe?"

"So what do you want to do about them?" John leaned back in the chair and stretched out his legs waiting to hear what they decide. "Maybe ask Liara to dig deeper with those three? If it looks like they left because of disagreeing with the others, maybe they don't deserve something so harsh? As far as the other 2, well they look to be up to their eyeballs in what was going on. They transferred from a lower paying ADC job to one within the Systems Alliance Defense Committee and their names are on the denial documents each and every time you went in to ask for financial assistance with Aaron."

"What if we have Liara ruin them financially? They denied our family aid, have them lose everything they own and be denied aid for everything? Liara said she is still working on digging up the name that ordered the guy to steal the bank papers and impersonate you. That could have caused some major collateral damage should someone have mistaken him for Thane Krios the assassin without knowing you were a drell." Shepard picked up her tea cup and waited for Thane to say something.

"Financial ruin would be sufficient if that was all they done. If they had a hand in perpetuating the ongoing issues then they will be dealt with harsher. Have Liara start working on it. I want them to lose everything, to feel even the slightest bit of the pain and anguish we felt, it will not be enough, but it will be a start. As far as the others, I agree that she should dig deeper, find out why they left or if they were forced to leave. If forced they may actually have information we could use."

Shepard nodded at Thane then got up to send the message. Two weeks later they received some intel. One of the three left of his own volition, not agreeing with what they were planning. He had actually given the Broker some valuable information in exchange for a better paying job to help support his family, he too had been having hardships that were being perpetuated, though not on the same level as Thane and Shepard's. The other two were forced to leave when they began to disagree with the lengths that the Ambassador and the soon to be Ambassador were willing to go to get Shepard to be their poster girl.

"Thane, I think these have paid enough, they left before the worst of it and had no part in it." Shepard was currently sitting on his lap down by the pool area. John and Aaron were swimming and splashing around while Urz prowled the perimeter of the pool. The other guests of the exclusive resort had learned that as long as they didn't go near Aaron they didn't have to worry about the varren attacking them, so most of the other guests stayed in the larger of the two pools.

"Acceptable. But she needs to find us the ones behind this. Really behind this and soon. Udina, at the moment is untouchable, even to a Spectre." He started to nibble along her neck and she tilted her head to the side to give him better access.

"So are the ones on the Defense Committee. We...mmm... we may not like it but, they are too protected and I don't want... any collateral damage." Her hand ran along his chest then gently stroked the ribbing along his neck causing him to let out deep growl before moving to caress his scaled head.

He let out a low trill as he stroked her arm and thigh, his lips moving to capture hers. She moaned as his tongue slid between her lips and stroked against her own.

"Oh God, not again. Mom, Dad, come on we're in public here. Stop sucking face. You guys are so embarrassing."

Thane let out a sigh and whispered in her ear, "Siha, our son is one of the biggest cock blockers I have ever met." She burst out laughing. For the rest of the day they didn't think about what had happened to them, they just enjoyed being together. Tomorrow they would once again begin to deal with their troubles, but today they enjoyed their vacation.

 

* * *

 

Several days later they received a call from Liara, she had tracked another one of the culprits behind their issues and according to her, was the one that came up with the whole document removal idea from her files. Udina had approved it and made sure that her record had been flagged, but it was this man that came up with it. "He is in route to Arcturus Station, Shepard. Once there none of us will be able to get to him. He is there to meet with several high ranking ADC members. I have someone trying to get intel on what that meeting will be about. What did you want to do?"

"If he's already off planet there isn't anything we can do Liara." Shepard tried to ignore the growl that was coming from Thane.

"Alright. There is one more piece of news. One of the Alliance Defense Committee members is going on vacation to a small resort in the Caribbean Islands there on Earth. Sending you the data now. You have two days to decide if you want to make a trip there or not. I can set you up with identities and a room."

The connection was cut and they waited until Aaron headed to bed before talking about it. Shepard paced, John leaned back in his chair watching his sister. He could tell she hated doing this, but they had chosen the wrong person to mess with, on top of it they had pissed off an elite assassin, there would be only one outcome. Thane had the 3D representation of the resorts blueprint in the middle of the room as he looked for weaknesses and design flaws to use to his advantage. Shepard picked up the data pad again and read the file. The man was a diplomat who rose up in the ranks fairly quickly around the same time that Shepard received her N7 recommendation, he was one of the ones that had approved it. According to the rest of the data he was also the one that had noted in her files to push her for acceptance. That the "inconvenient matter" that was holding her back was being dealt with and later it was him that had interfered with the Hanar's Ambassador when it inquired on Thane's behalf. There would be no stopping the retribution that Thane would bring down on the man.

The next morning they contacted Liara and told her to send the items by express courier. She told them she would do one better, Feron was coming and would play the part of Feron Huon, her cosmetic changes and identification would show her to be his wife and their reservation was for the honeymoon suite, the closest set of rooms to where the delegate was registered. Thane was to stay hidden in their personal shuttle, that way if an alarm rang out after the assassination they would be looking for a different drell than Feron. No one, not even a human could mistake a rainbow colored drell for a green one. Thane wasn't too happy to hear she would be sharing a room with the other drell but he could not deny the plan had merit. The delegate was sure to have his description and by now most of them probably knew that he was once more united with his wife.

 

* * *

 

They told Aaron they would be back in a few days, they were going to spend some time together as they never got to when they were first married. He looked at them and said, "eww, alright I'm glad I'm staying here with Uncle John."

When Feron arrived in the small personal shuttle he waited until both of them got in and he set the flight path before handing the large silver box to Shepard. "Liara sent this stuff, the instructions are inside of there. Also, Thane, the compartment for you is under the seating there. The latch is hidden along the front and it has a false top panel as well. There is an oxygen supply tank in there. When you get in there you'll see a very small lighted button, push it and the latch will activate, it won't open from outside then."

Thane helped Shepard to get her hair changed, the gel was placed on it and as she was putting in the contacts he ran the portable light activator over her head. Her hair changed color and because it was a rapid application had streaks and highlighted areas depending on how much gel got put on. Once the machine was done, he took the towel and wiped her hair down, she twisted it up into a bun, then slipped on her other clothes.

"That is a temporary application by the way, Liara said you would want your original color back as soon as this mission was over with, so don't worry. Just try not to get it doused with too much water. ETA to the resort is 6 hours. We will arrive and be checked in several hours before the asshole gets there. That should give us plenty of time to check things out and if necessary to go back over the plan. The shuttle is secure with its own localized encryption system. Relay intel using its encoded channel only."

"You seem to almost be excited, Feron." Shepard grinned at him as she adjusted her short dress.

"Hell yes, I'm off that damn ship and away from that pesky drone."

 

* * *

 

Just before they landed, Thane kissed her and glared at Feron then went into the small space under the seat, he placed the mask on and Feron ran tests on it letting him know that the system was monitoring him and the life support. He closed the lid, his eyes on Shepard then slowed his breathing after pushing the small button that locked him in.

"Testing. Krios, you receiving me?"

"Copy that Feron. Voice and vid clear."

"Super. When we check into our room we'll send you a signal, from there all you need to do is wait until it's dark then do your thing. The shuttles outside cameras are 360 degrees and your omni tool has access to them. The windows will be shuttered so no one can see in, once it's parked you can come out of that tiny space. Just make sure to scramble the camera feeds in the parking area before you come out of the shuttle."

Thane let out a low growl.

"What? Just a friendly reminder, after all I'll be a bit busy... you know, pretending to be Shepard's husband. In that honeymoon suite with the giant bed and free complimentary bottle of champagne."

"You're pushing it Feron. We are still twenty minutes away from the resort. Plenty of time for me to get rid of you and dispose of the body."

Feron let out a chuckle, "now don't be like that. What would Liara think if you got rid of her assistant and locator of all the porn that was on the old Broker's data base? And the stuff that was on there... wow. You know, now that I think about it, there was quite a lot of a human and drell..."

They heard a bunch of thumping around as Thane tried to get the door to open, "ah ah, we are almost there, can't have you being seen now." Feron was laughing as Shepard punched him.

"Feron, you're lucky he's in there and not out here."

Thane had settled down as they came into the parking area in front of the resort. Feron checked their ID chips and straightened his red and grey coat before opening the shuttle's door and escorting Shepard into the building. He laid the whole newlywed thing on pretty thick as the receptionist kept staring between the two of them.

Shepard gave an incredibly high, false giggle, "come on, Sugar. I read in the brochure the bed in the honeymoon suite was the largest they had. Let's go find out."

Feron gave her a grin and grabbed her ass before turning back to the receptionist who just held out their key card. "Anything for you, sweetheart. We'll be testing every flat surface in that room before our vacation is up." He could practically hear Thane's teeth grinding over the comm. "Hold the calls for that room, we definitely don't want to be disturbed." He leaned toward Shepard and in a low gravelly voice growled out, "after we check the room, you change into that little scrap of lingerie baby , while I go park the shuttle. We won't be needing it while we're here." Shepard let out another giggle and wiggled her way to the elevator, while wearing impossibly high heels and clinging on Feron's arm.

Once the bellhop was gone Shepard took off her shoes as Feron dug out the portable scanner and jamming device setting it up on the small table. He hurried from the room and back to the shuttle, parking it as close to the maintenance room doors as he could get it. "Krios, finishing the set up, no issues getting through registration. Just follow the diagram to get to the suite. May Amonkira guide you on your hunt." He waited until he was well away from the shuttle before he said, "Shepard has a mighty fine ass on her, just right for my palm." He could swear he heard the growl echoing through the garage area.

When he entered the room she shook her head at him, "I can't believe you have the balls to taunt him that way. You're going to be lucky he doesn't add you to his list."

Feron shrugged then plopped down in front of the holo screen, "nah, it's all in good fun and he knows you're safe with me. It's just something inherent with the drell culture, we don't mess with another drells' mate. We can joke and carry on, but there is a line that an honorable drell won't cross. I may have been nothing more than an information trader, working straight for the Shadow Broker, but I did keep my honor. Besides, I owe you for rescuing me, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, ever. You can always count on me being there for your family."

She sat next to him and put her head on his shoulder, her thoughts turning to when they had finally found him and the horrible things that had been done to him. That he was sane and in the shape he was in was a miracle.

A few hours later Feron received a ping from Liara, telling him that the diplomat had just checked in and gave the count of how many guards. She also told him that there was an asari with him. Shepard's lip curled, the bastard interfered with her own marriage with a non human and here he was with an asari. "Typical hypocrite." They sent the information to Thane who had been using the cameras to watch the garage, noting several people were hanging around pretending not to be watching the shuttle.

"We may have an issue, there are several human males in the garage. They look to be waiting for someone or just watching the shuttle. It is possible they are part of the delegates crew and were notified that a drell and human couple had checked in. You may need to cause a distraction in the garage so I can exit the shuttle. I do not wish to cause collateral damage Siha, as you wished."

"One distraction coming up." Feron got up off the couch and grabbed one of the bags tossing it to her. "Pick one of those out and put it on, that should cause more than enough distraction for any male."

She dumped the contents on the bed and sighed, "you've got to be shitting me. The asari nightclub dancers wear more than this." She stripped from the already skimpy outfit into an even skimpier one.

Feron dropped the remote to the holo screen when she walked out of the bedroom, "Goddess... Thane is going to kill me. That distraction may work a little too well." He heard a gravelly hum in his aural canal from the comm device and swallowed. "Let's hurry and get this over with so you can change."

When they exited off the elevator Shepard went first, her heels clicking against the floor rapidly, "Sugar, I can't believe you left my bag with my favorite shoes on the shuttle. Look at me, how can I be seen looking like this? My shoes don't match my outfit, this is a nightmare."

Feron tagged along behind, "the bag must have slipped off the top of the pile, I'm sure they're in there, baby. Don't be mad. Besides, this will give us the chance to have a good time in the garage as well."

"Not if I don't find my shoes it won't."

Every male eye in the lobby was drawn to the woman strutting through the area, her skirt looked like a strip of cloth painted on her and the tiny top barely covered her breasts. They didn't even bother to notice the drell, all eyes were on her ass as she passed.

When they got outside they told Thane they were on the way and to sit tight. When they got to the garage they saw several men still trying to blend into the dark areas, by now if they were there to get something out of the vehicles they would have got it and left. When they spotted the woman and drell heading their way they tensed up. One of them moved a bit closer as Shepard and Feron entered the light.

"Just give me a minute, baby, I'll find the bag." He opened the small compartment in the back and started to rummage around inside. A few seconds later they heard Thane tell them that the audio was picked up and reported that the drell wasn't the one they were on the look out for. They were still there though.

"Baby, are you sure you packed that particular bag? I can't find it."

"What do you mean you can't find it, let me look." She bent over and the skirt rose higher, the flash of her panties could be seen and they heard a rumble coming from the general direction of the men. Feron moved his hand up her thigh and palmed her ass. They heard several groans that time.

"Hmm, how bout we have ourselves a little bit of fun, no one is down here. I'll take you to Nos Astra and buy you several more pairs of shoes when we leave here." He moved behind her and pretended to undo his pants. When he thrust against her, she let out a loud moan and they both heard a clatter of something falling. They continued to get louder and Thane slipped out of the side door away from the others and into the service door.

"That's enough, Feron." He hissed at the other drell, his anger swelling even though he knew they weren't doing anything but causing a distraction that worked incredibly well.

Feron gave one last thrust and Shepard screamed as if she had an orgasm. He adjusted his pants, his obvious hard on would work to their advantage if the men should look and pretended to adjust her clothing. "Come on baby, let's go for round two in the shower."

When they made it up to their suite Thane was waiting for them, his eyes roamed over Shepard and he growled at Feron who only shrugged and held out his hands. "It worked didn't it?"

After Shepard returned, wearing something decent, she kissed Thane on the cheek frill then handed him a small bag containing tiny cameras. He had decided to forgo weapons, he wanted this up close and personal.

He entered the vent and headed toward the penthouse suite. He set up the cameras in the vents above the living room, bedroom and one above the door to the shower. When he activated them, Shepard sent back the acknowledgment and needed adjustments. Then he waited.

When the asari rose from the bed and went to the shower he waited several minutes until he heard the water start before he carefully removed the vent panel from the ceiling. The man was still in the bed, lounging and breathing hard from the asari mind meld. Thane dropped down silently and moved with a panther's grace toward the bed. His steps silent on the thick carpeting. When he reached the bed he covered the man's mouth with one quick hand and the human's eyes opened. His body froze in shock at who was in the room, then started to struggle.

"You tried to destroy my marriage, to separate me from my Siha, from my son. You falsified documents, you tried to erase the bond between us as you had the electronic one. You failed. May Kalahira have mercy on you, for I will not. This galaxy will be one star brighter with you gone. Go to the sea." Thane reached out with his other hand quickly snapping the man's neck. He closed the male's eyes and posed him in the bed as if asleep before quickly exiting the room. Once back up in the vents he removed the cameras and made sure any trace of him being there was gone.

"It is done. I am heading back to the garage, be ready in case the asari sends up the alert."

Shepard let out a quiet sigh and Feron put his arm around her as they waited. Thane let them know he made it back without incident. The men were gone from the garage, once back inside the small area he placed his breather back on and sealed the tiny chamber.

Several minutes later there were loud noises in the hall then someone started banging on their door. "Shit, she must have sounded the alarm, quick." Feron jumped up and started stripping off his clothes throwing them about the room. "Shepard, throw me a pillow from the bed, hurry."

She grabbed up a pillow throwing it toward him and he placed it over his lap before wiggling out of his compression shorts. She, in the meantime, stripped her own clothes off and threw the skimpy ones out in the other room before messing up her hair and the bed sheets. She grabbed a towel from the bathroom to wrap around her.

"What the fuck is going on around here, can't a man and his wife have sex without being bothered." Feron shouted as he headed for the door, the pillow clutched firmly over his groin.

"Open up, sir. There has been an incident and we need to search your room." Feron unlocked the panel and the door opened.

"What the hell do you mean by search our room? It's in the middle of the fucking night and I was busy fucking my wife."

"Sir, step back from the door. We have reason to believe a drell has committed a crime in this building and since you are the only drell registered we must verify your identity and whereabouts."

"My whereabouts was being balls deep inside my wife until you came beating on our door. Where the hell are the cops? I want to file harassment charges against the whole lot of you, along with a discrimination charge. Accusing me of a crime because of my race. You damned bunch of racist bastards."

"Sugar? What's going on, who's at the door? Didn't we tell these people we didn't want to be bothered?" Shepard came out from the bedroom, her towel clutched tightly around her.

"These people think I am some sort of criminal, baby. They think I could have been fucking you and been somewhere else in this shitty resort, doing Goddess knows what, at the same time."

"Well, that's just crazy. We should file a report with the travel agency that booked us into this place for our honeymoon, make sure they know these people are xenophobes."

A crackle was heard and the man that apparently was in charge raised his hand to his ear, "yes sir. Are you sure about that sir? I understand sir, yes I will, sir."

He cleared his throat, "you both have my sincere apologies. Upon further review of the resort surveillance it has come to my attention that no one left this room for the last several hours. Again, I apologize on behalf of myself, my colleagues and the resort for disturbing your stay with us."

"Apologize? Buddy, you better get the hell out of this room before I really get pissed off. Baby, we are checking out first thing in the morning and we better get a full refund or I'm contacting our lawyer." He shut the door and locked it as soon as the man exited the room. They collapsed back against the walls.

"Shit." Feron was still clutching that pillow against him for all he was worth then pointed toward the bedroom. After she went in, he gathered up his clothes and got dressed. Ten minutes later she came out in an Alliance issued set of workout clothes and they let Thane know it was clear.

 

* * *

 

As early as they could they gathered their gear and double checked the room before ringing for service. Once they were at the check out they complained loud and long until the manager came and refunded their spent credits along with giving them a complimentary week long stay. Feron told him to shove the week long stay, they wouldn't ever be coming back here and he would make sure that all of Kahje knew to stay away from here if they came to Earth, that the resort was filled with a bunch of xenophobes. Shepard turned her nose up at them and proceeded to walk toward the door in 6 inch heels and a micro mini dress, while Feron kept up his diatribe against the resort.

Once they were underway Thane came out. He punched Feron on the arm and the other drell said, "ow, ow, ow. I think you broke my damned arm." Thane only growled at him and made sure he didn't turn around as Shepard changed into a better set of clothing.

"Oh, before I forget," Feron let out a snort, "Liara wanted me to tell you, there is a two day stay for you at a different resort. A belated real honeymoon. I'll be at a place nearby. She also wanted me to tell you that Hackett had contacted her, he asked her to go to your Mars Archives to do some research and she will be out of contact. I'll be the one to keep on this. She sent through most of the intel already but I'll keep digging."

She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the frill and he turned, grinning at Thane, earning him another punch.

 

* * *

 

This resort was more upscale even than the last one. This time it was Thane and Shepard using their Nuara identification to check in. Feron carried their two bags up to the room and gave them the name of the hotel he was staying at and the time he would be picking them up. He nodded at Thane then couldn't resist one last tease by grabbing Shepard and kissing her before running for the door.

Their stay was much different there, the staff treated Thane with the same amount of courtesy as they did the humans. They spent time on the private beach and indoor pool and restaurant.

The night before Feron was to pick them up he pulled out the long box that was usually kept under the bed. "Siha, it is time I believe, for you to wear this."

She placed the box on the bed and raised an eyebrow at him. She let out a choked gurgle when she opened it. Inside was a pair of thigh high black leather boots, a lace and leather corset with a pair of crotchless black satin panties. At the bottom of the box was a thin leather coat, cut in the style of a drells and buttery soft to the touch. There was also a small box that contained a black leather collar and gloves.

"You're kidding right?"

"No, Jane. Put it on." He stripped out of his jacket hanging it up in the closet. "Now."

She hesitated for a while as he continued to casually undress. She finally removed the lounge pants and tank top she had been wearing and set about putting the leathers on. He had her stand up and turn around, grabbing the pillar of the large bed that was attached to the ceiling and started to lace the corset. She hissed and cussed as he drew it tight about her, letting it ease just slightly before tying it off. His hands ran over her body and cupped her breasts that were now pushed up high and completely filled his palms. He moved away slightly and picked up the coat holding it out to her and she slid it on, it fit like a second skin. She held the collar in her hand and looked up at him, he waited and watched. Finally she placed it about her neck and he let out a satisfied hum.

He turned her around and ran his hands once more over her, feeling the leather beneath his palms and letting her feel the way his body vibrated from the hums he was sounding out in pleasure. His hand drifted down to her center, his finger sliding across the opening of her panties, before kissing her neck above the collar. "Stay there, Siha. Do not move."

He went to the closet and took out a small box from his bag and returned with it. When he was once again behind her he opened the box and drew out something before dropping it on the bed. She gasped as she felt him lift up the bottom of the coat and run an object over her ass and between the globes. "Relax for me, Siha."

He could feel her shaking and he used his hand to try and relax her. He bent her forward and placed her hands on the bed. "Thane.. I.."

"Do you love me?" He asked, his voice low and gravely. She nodded.

"Then trust me, Shepard. I would do nothing to harm you. I want only to bring you pleasure. To make you mine in a way that no one else has nor ever will." His low voice came to her as she once more felt what she now assumed was some type of toy moving over her ass and between her thighs. His fingers replaced the toy and began to caress her, drawing forth the moisture and working the little nub until she was moaning and shaking. She felt the small object moving on her again, then groaned as he removed his fingers. The next thing she felt was warm liquid dripping over her anus and his finger circling her, barely pushing inside.

"That's it, Jane, just relax." She felt the toy moving between her legs and he slowly thrust it inside her, as his finger pressed against her other opening. When he had the toy fully inserted he turned it on. Her muscles contracted around it as it vibrated and moved, a small protrusion resting against her clit massaged it and caused her to cry out. His finger became more insistent, slowly working its way inside. Soon a second, then the third finger joined it. Her body was shaking and she was panting, he turned the vibrations down.

"Remove the coat and climb up on the bed."

She did so shakily as the toy was still causing slight contractions of her inner muscles. He moved behind her and pushed her upper body down to the bed. She felt a warm trickle of liquid coating her anus and she gasped before she felt him at her entrance. He was stretching her and she cried out, he stopped and waited, easing in a bit more as she relaxed. Never rushing her, letting her adjust. He held still when he was finally able to work his way into her, the tightness of her virginal ass combined with the toy was almost too much for him. He grit his teeth and eased out slightly, carefully pushing back in, withdrawing a little more each time. He threw his head back as he withdrew and slid all the way inside her, he heard her cry out and felt the clench of her muscles.

"Siha..", he groaned as he started to move with more ease in her. Over and over, finally dropping his head to watch his body taking hers, knowing he was the first, the only one, to take her this way. He pushed in hard and held still, reaching up and untying the lace of her corset. She sucked in a deep breath and he gripped her hips, slid out and snapped back into her causing her to scream and clench around him as another orgasm rushed over her.

Several more thrusts and he hissed, pushed in deep once more and flooded her with his release. "Do not move, Siha. Wait... wait until I can soften and withdraw, then I will take care of you." His hands caressed her, he leaned over her and kissed her back before slowly taking the toy from her and easing his way from her. He moved off the bed and gently picked her up, kissing her before carrying her to the bathroom where he finished undressing her and washed her, all the while telling her how pleased he had been, how honored by her trust. When he was done he turned on the hot tub in their suite and placed her in it before pouring two glasses of champagne and getting in with her. His whisper of his love for her as he handed her the glass and the light pressing of his lips to her ear sent a shiver down her spine.

The next day when they arrived back home they handed several presents to Aaron and Thane gave a slight nod to John.

 

* * *

 

Months went by, with Feron sending them snippets of intel. The rest of the ADC and ones behind this mess had holed up in the secure facilities of the Alliance Headquarters in Vancouver or on the Arcturus Station surrounded by Alliance Military. Feron told them that what he was able to learn was the ones on Arcturus was trying to set about getting another human Spectre in there, one that they could build up to be the perfect human representative, now that it was clear to anyone that had seen the spectacle that they had made on the Citadel by wandering the Presidium hand in hand and the way that the story of their marriage had finally broke on the news. Liara had it scripted to look like a long, lost love reunited when an outside force tore them apart. They didn't come right out and say who, but enough hints were dropped and just enough evidence was found to start the whispers.

One morning they heard John shouting for them to hurry and dress, grab their shit and get down to the living room. They looked at each other and did as he yelled, the panic was clear in his voice. When they came running downstairs each with a bag in their hand he pointed to the screen and turned up the sound. It was filled with static but the panic of the people around Earth was unmistakable. The Reapers had arrived.

Shepard's omni tool pinged and they heard Joker telling her that Vancouver was gone and so was Arcturus, all hell was breaking loose and they needed her. The adults looked at each other, if both of those places had been destroyed it was likely the rest of ones behind their troubles had paid the ultimate price. They heard Alenko telling Joker to head straight for Mars as he was acting Captain. Joker yelled at him to kiss his ass, he was going for the Commander, if he wanted to court martial him go for it. But good luck finding someone to pilot the Normandy in this shit storm.

They gathered their gear and told Aaron what was happening. He knelt shaking and clutching onto Urz while John grabbed everything he could from his room and helped Thane get Aaron's stuff. When they heard Joker telling them to get their asses outside they ran through the lobby doors and down toward the beach where the Normandy was hovering. The Marines helped Aaron get on board and Urz was right behind him. John tossed several bags into their waiting arms as he too ran on board followed by Shepard and Thane. Joker sealed the cargo bay doors and was off.

"Give me the sit rep and who the hell are you?" She said to the beefy man dressed in Alliance BDU's. Introductions were made as a grumpy Alenko told her they needed to get to the archives.

"Damn it, Liara is there. Joker get the lead out and step on it. We have a war to wage."

"Did you hear that, Urz. Mom and Dad are going to kick Reaper ass." Aaron yelled out then froze as the others turned toward him. "Uh oh... run Urz, Mom's gonna ground me for sure this time." The two took off running toward the elevator doors that had just opened.

"Aaron Jasen Krios, you get your skinny rear end back here so I can ground you for the rest of your life!"

 

*~* Fin *~*


End file.
